New York (CNN) -- Larisa Antypa was ready for her cruise in the Caribbean when news of the economic crisis in Greece, her home country, began to worsen.
Antypa, a program coordinator for the Greek Cultural Center in Astoria, Queens, canceled her trip and decided that she would instead spend her vacation money in Greece.
Like a growing number of her fellow expatriates, Antypa hopes to bolster the teetering Greek economy -- roiled again on Tuesday by a wave of violent protests and a countrywide strike against proposed austerity measures -- through tourism. It accounts for 15% of the country's jobs and 18% of its GDP, according to the Greek Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
"I want to support Greece by spending my money there; it's very important when your country's in trouble to do whatever you can," Antypa said. "I ask people why they're going back, why they don't go somewhere else, and they say, 'Now, Greece needs us.' "
Antypa said that more members of her community, largely motivated by pride of country, are vacationing in Greece than ever before. This perception was corroborated by Ted Spyropoulos, president of the U.S. chapter of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad, who said the number of Greek-Americans visiting home has surged and is expected to increase anywhere from 20% to 30% in 2011 from 2010.
"(Greeks) have an obligation to go because Greece needs the help right now," said Spyropoulos, who added his organization has launched a campaign to encourage Greek-Americans to travel there. "There's been a call from outside that Greece needs help."
This year's 10% increase in income from American tourists, who spend three times more than the average traveler, was huge for Greece's economic development, said Chris Petsilas, the director of the U.S. office of the Greek National Tourism Organization. Despite Greece's debt crisis and crippling unemployment, Pestilas said tourism is booming.
Antypa, a program coordinator for the Greek Cultural Center in Astoria, Queens, canceled her trip and decided that she would instead spend her vacation money in Greece.
Like a growing number of her fellow expatriates, Antypa hopes to bolster the teetering Greek economy -- roiled again on Tuesday by a wave of violent protests and a countrywide strike against proposed austerity measures -- through tourism. It accounts for 15% of the country's jobs and 18% of its GDP, according to the Greek Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
"I want to support Greece by spending my money there; it's very important when your country's in trouble to do whatever you can," Antypa said. "I ask people why they're going back, why they don't go somewhere else, and they say, 'Now, Greece needs us.' "
Antypa said that more members of her community, largely motivated by pride of country, are vacationing in Greece than ever before. This perception was corroborated by Ted Spyropoulos, president of the U.S. chapter of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad, who said the number of Greek-Americans visiting home has surged and is expected to increase anywhere from 20% to 30% in 2011 from 2010.
"(Greeks) have an obligation to go because Greece needs the help right now," said Spyropoulos, who added his organization has launched a campaign to encourage Greek-Americans to travel there. "There's been a call from outside that Greece needs help."
This year's 10% increase in income from American tourists, who spend three times more than the average traveler, was huge for Greece's economic development, said Chris Petsilas, the director of the U.S. office of the Greek National Tourism Organization. Despite Greece's debt crisis and crippling unemployment, Pestilas said tourism is booming.
