Greeks increased their international travel in 2024, making more trips than the previous year, according to figures from the Bank of Greece.
While Greece breaks records in tourist arrivals each year, in 2024 Greeks made 6.85 million trips abroad, as opposed to 6.19 million in 2023 and 5.1 million in 2022.
Despite the ongoing economic challenges, with continuous price hikes in goods and services, it seems that a significant portion of Greeks are still able to set aside money for travel.
Whether it’s an exotic trip to Bali or a short drive to neighboring Bulgaria or Turkey for cheaper shopping or a weekend getaway, Greeks enjoy crossing the border to experience a different atmosphere and refresh their perspective.
Of the total number of 6.85 trips in 2024, 5.82 million were made by individual travelers, while 864.8 thousand traveled in tour packages. In regards to the countries that Greeks visited, 983.4 thousand trips were recorded from Greece to Bulgaria, which also include same-day trips.
For Greek citizens living in cities or villages near the Bulgarian border, these frequent visits are often not for leisure travel but purely to purchase essential goods, from groceries to fuel, where prices are significantly lower than in Greece.
The proximity of Greece’s northern neighbor makes it an attractive and cost-effective option for daily necessities, in addition to being a popular destination for occasional getaways.
Additionally, 620.2 thousand trips were to Italy, 572.4 thousand trips to Germany, 549 thousand to Turkey, 349.1 thousand trips to the United Kingdom, 305 thousand to Cyprus, 240.5 thousand trips to France, 212.3 thousand to Spain, 196.9 thousand trips to Austria and 182.3 thousand to the Netherlands.
In total, Greeks had 34.45 million overnight stays in foreign destinations, down from 34.87 million in 2023 and 35.75 million overnight stays in 2022. In regards to destination, Greeks spent 4.79 million nights in Germany, 2.97 million nights in Italy, 2.38 million in the United Kingdom, 2.34 million in Cyprus, 1.75 million nights in Turkey, 1.38 million in France, 1.33 million in the Netherlands, 1.3 million in Spain, 1.26 million in the United States and 1.26 million in Bulgaria.
The total amount Greeks spent traveling abroad in 2024 was 2.8 billion euros, exceeding that of 2023 (2.43 billion) and 2022 (1.92 billion). The fact that they stayed less days than the previous two years but spent more, most likely has to do with the rising costs in hotel accommodation.
Of the total spending, 2.2 billion euros were spent by individual travelers, while 604.3 million were spent on package trips. In regards to destination, 314.6 million euros were spent in Italy, 301.7 million in Germany, 241.7 million in the United Kingdom, 161.1 million euros in Turkey, 143 million in Cyprus, 138.8 million in France, 130.8 million euros in Spain, 103.4 million in the Netherlands, 103 million euros in the United States, 98.5 million in Austria and 59.6 million euros in Bulgaria, where most visits are day excursions.
The average expenditure per trip abroad reached 419.6 euros in 2024, compared to 392.9 euros in 2023 and 377.8 euros in 2022. In the United States, the average expenditure reached 1,179 euros, in the United Kingdom 692.6 euros, in Spain 616.3 euros, in France 577.1 euros, in the Netherlands 567 euros, in Germany 527.1 euros and in Italy 507.3 euros.
The average expenditure per overnight stay was 81.4 euros while the average length of stay reached 5.2 days.
