Greece Tourism Hits €23.6B Record

- The record €23.6 billion in tourism receipts for 2025 represents a 9.4% increase from 2024. This growth was driven by a 5.6% rise in inbound travelers, reaching a total of 37.98 million visitors, not including cruise passengers. - Revenue growth outpaced the increase in visitor arrivals, with revenue up 8.9% versus a 4.4% increase in arrivals for the first ten months of 2025. This indicates a rise in average spending per visitor, a key goal for the country's tourism strategy. - Germany and the United Kingdom were the largest source markets by volume and revenue. Visitors from the UK saw a significant 18.5% increase in spending, totaling €3.74 billion, while revenue from U.S. tourists grew by 8.5% to €1.71 billion. - Athens International Airport handled a record 34 million passengers in 2025, with international traffic growing by 8.6%. This highlights a trend of Athens becoming a destination in its own right, rather than just a stopover point for the islands. - In response to growing tourism numbers, Greece implemented a Sustainable Tourism Fee in July 2025. The government is also addressing concerns about overtourism by promoting lesser-known regions and extending the tourism season. - The Greek government is developing a new long-term tourism roadmap for 2030-2035, which will be detailed in a White Paper scheduled for release in 2026. The strategy will focus on sustainability, attracting high-value investments, and managing visitor flows. - Despite the record-breaking year, the sector faces challenges, including the environmental and infrastructural strain of overtourism on popular islands like Santorini and Mykonos. Issues such as water shortages and waste management are becoming more critical. - Cruise tourism also saw significant activity, with Piraeus port achieving a record 1.85 million cruise passengers. The cruise sector is undergoing regulatory changes, including a new cruise tax implemented to manage the impact on popular islands.