Passenger traffic at the 24 Greek airports went up 9.3 percent in 2024 compared to 2023, while tourism revenue broke new records.
According to the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority – HCAA, air passenger traffic reached another record in 2024 as each year the number of passengers increases.
HCAA operates 24 airports: Heraklion, Kalamata, Alexandroupoli, Limnos, Astypalaia, Ioannina, Chios, Kozani, Kastoria, Karpathos, Kythira, Milos, Skyros, Nea Anchialos, Paros, Syros, Araxos, Naxos, Kalymnos, Ikaria, Kastelorizo, Kasos, Leros and Sitia.
According to the data released, the total number of passengers (arrivals and departures of international and domestic passengers) for the 12 months of 2024 (January-December) at the airports of the Hellenic Civic Aviation Authority amounted to 11,975,632 passengers, compared to 11,092,141 passengers in the corresponding period of 2023.
Regarding the number of aircraft movements (arrivals and departures of domestic and international aircraft) for the 12 months of 2024, at all 39 airports in the country, whose air traffic control is mainly conducted by the Hellenic Aviation Authority, an increase of 7.6 percent was recorded compared to the corresponding period of January-December 2023. Specifically, a total of 603,931 flights were carried out in 2024, compared to 561,366 flights in 2023.
A 9.3 percent increase is also seen in passenger traffic for the 12 months of 2024 at all airports in the country that operate commercial flights (39 airports: 24 HCAA, 14 Fraport Greece, AIA). Specifically, passenger traffic in the period January – December 2024 reached 79,403,911, compared to 72,616,584 passengers in the corresponding 2023 period.
Although official figures from the Bank of Greece are not out yet, preliminary studies record impressive data. A PwC study, presented at the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) conference, estimates that tourist arrivals in 2024 will reach 41.6 million, marking an increase of 22.4 percent compared to 2023. In 2023, arrivals had reached 36 million, while in 2022 they hovered around 30 million, including cruise passengers.
The three studies presented by INSETE, PwC and AboutPeople highlight tourism as a key driver of growth, contributing approximately 13 percent to Greek GDP. The main markets remain Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States, which contribute over 50 percent of total revenue. At the same time, Greece continues to compete with countries such as Spain and Italy, based on natural beauty, culture and hospitality.
Despite positive developments, challenges exist. Popular destinations, such as Santorini and Mykonos, face problems of overtourism, while climate change affects the visitor experience. The fires and heat waves of 2023 and 2024 led to changes in tourist behavior. According to surveys, 80 percent of Europeans take weather conditions into account, choosing milder periods off high season.
People working in the tourism sector emphasize the need for better management, according to an Athens-Macedonian News Agency report. They call for strengthening infrastructure, expanding the tourist season and controlling short-term rentals. The promotion of alternative forms of tourism, with respect for the environment and the local community, is considered to be of great importance.
