Greece experienced a strong tourism boom in 2024, with visitor numbers and revenue reaching new heights. Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, France, and Italy emerged as the top sources of travelers, contributing to a significant increase in inbound tourism. The surge in visitors helped bolster the country's economy, with key international markets maintaining their momentum.
According to the Bank of Greece, the country's travel balance recorded a surplus of €18.9 billion in 2024, up from €18.2 billion the previous year. This growth was largely driven by higher travel revenues, which increased by 5.4% to €21.7 billion. At the same time, travel-related spending by Greek residents abroad also rose, reaching €2.8 billion, marking a 14.5% increase.
The rise in tourism revenue was attributed to a 9.8% increase in inbound travel, though the average spending per trip saw a slight decline of 5.1%. Despite this, earnings from travel services played a crucial role in balancing Greece's economy, offsetting more than half of the country's goods trade deficit and accounting for over 80% of its net service earnings.
Visitors from European Union countries contributed significantly to the tourism sector, generating €11.9 billion in revenue, a 7% increase from the previous year. Meanwhile, revenue from non-EU visitors saw only a modest rise of 0.8%, totaling €8.6 billion. Among Greece's key markets, spending by German tourists grew by 3.5% to €3.7 billion, while revenue from French travelers dropped by 11.4%, falling to €1.3 billion. Italy saw a strong rise in tourist spending, up by 13.6% to €1.2 billion.
Outside of Europe, the UK remained a vital market, although revenue from British visitors declined by 3.7% to €3.2 billion. On the other hand, American travelers spent significantly more, with revenues from the United States increasing by 15.1% to €1.6 billion. In contrast, spending by Russian tourists plummeted by over 50%, reaching just €15.9 million.
The overall number of visitors to Greece in 2024 climbed to 36 million, a 9.8% increase compared to 2023. Arrivals through airports grew by 10.7%, while those entering the country via land borders increased by 8.9%. The majority of tourists came from within the EU, with 21.8 million European travelers recorded, an 11% rise from the previous year. Meanwhile, arrivals from non-EU countries grew by 8.1%, reaching 14.2 million.
Among the largest markets, Germany saw a 13.4% increase in visitor numbers, with 5.4 million Germans traveling to Greece. France also saw a positive trend, with arrivals rising by 8.8% to 2 million. Italy followed closely, registering a 10% increase and reaching 2 million visitors.
From outside of Europe, the United States saw a notable 10% rise in visitor numbers, with 1.5 million Americans traveling to Greece. In contrast, the UK saw a slight decline of 1%, with 4.5 million British tourists. Meanwhile, Russia recorded a sharp drop of 54.9%, with only 16,100 travelers visiting Greece.
Greece's tourism sector remains a cornerstone of its economy, with growing visitor numbers reaffirming the country's status as a top global destination.
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