Good News for Greek tourism.

Expedia on Monday sent optimistic messages over this year’s tourism trends in Greece, saying figures available, so far, for April, May and June are very encouraging, with significant reservations recorded for April and November.

Speaking to reporters during a news conference, Expedia's officials in Athens said a government decision to lower VAT rates for hotels -- resulting in slightly reduced room prices -- has positively contributed to the attractiveness of Greek tourism.

Expedia said it would continue promoting Greece through news letters, its website and through online and offline marketing policies.

Expedia said room reservations for Greek hotels, through special promotional offers, accounted for 43 pct of total reservations. Specifically, package reservations for Greek isles were up 50 pct in 2010, compared with the previous year, with visitors mainly coming from the US (36 pct), Italy, the UK, France and Germany.

Greek hotel room prices, booked through Expedia in 2010, were unchanged compared with 2009, although they fell slightly in the last quarter of the year, with this decline expected to be continued in 2011. (ΑΝΑ-ΜPA)

A file photo shows the Palm Beach of Vai, Crete.