A welcome relief to the economically stricken Greece has come in the form of tourism, a multi-billion dollar industry feared to collapse in the face of the growing political and social turmoil that now rocks nearly all of Athens. Though affected, the industry remains one of the pillars of the economy.

Greece's tourism industry was less affected by the economic crisis than previously feared, with arrivals and spending falling by 5.9 and 3.4 percent between January and August, the Bank of Greece said on Monday.

Tourism experts and local media had painted a much bleaker picture for the industry in the spring, based on visitor fears of a political and social crisis in Greece as well as speculation on the country's possible exit from the eurozone.

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