Greece – Kos

ARCHAEOLOGICAL SIGHTS Kos Town is full of wandering tourists who are either there for the day or spending an extended holiday at one of the many resorts. Walk along the waterside and visit Plateia Platanou, the beautiful town square right by the very well preserved 15-th century Castle of Neratzia. Take a break at one of the cafés in the square, and visit Hippocrates’ Plane Tree (where historians believe he taught his students), which also includes a fountain built by the Ottomans. The island’s other famous historical sight is the Asklepieion, which sits about three kilometers southwest of Kos Town. This sanctuary was built to honor Asclepius (the god of healing) in the 3 rd century BC and also, befittingly, became a school of medicine.

ENTERTAINMENT Rich and lively, the nightlife on Kos is in perfect keeping with the strong tourist profile of the island in general, with a seemingly endless variety of entertainment choices for all moods and moments. Traditional “Tavernas“ side by side with upscale restaurants, dozens of trendy cafes and bars and large nightclubs, especially in the city of Kos and in Kardamena, offer something for everyone, from Greek to international music and dancing into the small hours of the morning . And for those who crave calmer, more relaxing moments, the island’s smaller, cozy bars, atmospheric pubs and idyllic seaside cafes and bars provide the perfect escape.

ECONOMY The region of South Aegean historically maintains a GDP per capita equal to 109% of the average national throughout the last decade. GDP per capita in the region of South Aegean has recorded a loss of 25% in the past decade (2007-2016) from €23,400 in 2007 to €17,500 in 2016. At the same period the national GDP per capita decreased by 23% from €21,100 to €16,200.

SEASONALITY Kos’ Tourism season generally begins in mid-April till the end of October. Peak season is mid-July until the end of August. As shown from the above graph, the seasonality on the island of Kos is expanding throughout the years.

VISITATION Kos island is serviced by the Kos International Airport, which is very busy during the summer month with Charter flights coming mainly from England and Germany. In 2019, Kos International Airport had a total of 1.3m arrivals from which 10% were domestic arrivals and 90% international. Domestic arrivals increased by 21% from 2010, while international arrivals increased by 69% for the same period.