Greece’s tourism industry is experiencing an unprecedented boom, achieving a second consecutive record-breaking year in 2024. The nation welcomed more than 40 million visitors, yielding a substantial €21.7 billion ($25.09 billion) in revenue.
This represents a robust 5.4 percent increase compared to 2023, signaling a potent recovery and growth trajectory following the relaxation of COVID-19 pandemic-related travel restrictions. Projections indicate that 2025 is poised to surpass these figures yet again.
This surging popularity, which has also made Greece a favored destination for international celebrities, has, however, brought to the forefront growing anxieties about overtourism. Critically, highly sought-after islands such as Santorini and Mykonos are grappling with significant strain on their existing infrastructure, prompting a national conversation about sustainable development within the sector.
Looking ahead, Greek tourism officials and industry stakeholders are maintaining a positive outlook. Despite the potential for fallout from ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East—specifically the Israeli-Hamas conflict and recent missile exchanges between Israel and Iran—the sector anticipates another “banner year.”
Economically, tourism’s direct contribution to Greece’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached an impressive €30.2 billion ($34.94 billion) in 2024, accounting for 13 percent of the total economy. The indirect contribution, encompassing a wider economic ripple effect, was considerably higher.
Yiannis Paraschis, president of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), highlighted tourism’s critical role, noting that inbound tourism alone constitutes 84.4 percent of all tourism receipts and covers a significant 71.5 percent of the national balance of goods deficit.
The early signs from the Greek summer tourism season are raising concerns for traditional tourism powerhouses such as Santorini, Mykonos and Paros.
These islands, long considered the “heavyweights” of Greek tourism, are facing a rocky start, while other regions are enjoying an unexpected surge, with booking and arrival numbers soaring beyond previous years.
According to the latest figures from the Institute of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises, Greece recorded 1.6 million international air arrivals in the first quarter of this year—an increase of 77,000 arrivals compared to the same period in 2024, or roughly 4.8 percent.
On the flip side, some regions are enjoying a banner year. Crete and Rhodes continue to dominate as perennial favorites for major tour operators and individual travelers alike. Notably, the rise in direct, self-booked vacations is becoming a growing trend that can no longer be ignored.
The true standouts this season, however, are two of the Ionian Islands: Zakynthos and Corfu. The Ionian Islands as a whole recorded a 5.5 percent rise in visitors last year, with 3.8 million arrivals.
This momentum appears to be continuing into 2025, with both Zakynthos and Corfu reporting a 7 percent increase in summer bookings—figures that have sparked optimism across the region.
Related: Santorini’s New Dawn: Regulated Tourism and Sustainable Growth
