SKOPJE, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The number of tourists in North Macedonia decreased by 18.3 percent year-on-year in the first quarter of 2020, the State Statistical Office (SSO) reported on Tuesday.

According to SSO data, in the first quarter of 2020, the number of domestic tourists in North Macedonia decreased by 17.2 percent, while that of foreign tourists by 18.9 percent.

During this period, a decrease of 19.7 percent was registered in the number of nights spent by tourists in North Macedonia.

The number of tourists in March 2020, according to the SSO, was 17,943, decreasing by 67.3 percent mainly due to the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

The tourism industry is the most-hit sector in the country, according to the director of the Agency for Tourism Promotion and Support Ljupcho Janevski, who said that tourism "is currently inexistent."

In an interview with Media Information Agency, Janevski announced that in addition to the measures already taken by the government to support the tourism sector, such as the aid of 14,500 Macedonian Denar (about 255 U.S. dollars) provided to each company worker or cut in taxes, other measures are being prepared to alleviate the situation.

As of Tuesday, health authorities have reported a total of 1,674 coronavirus cases, with 1,205 recoveries and 92 fatalities. The country's first case was registered on Feb. 26. Enditem

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)