According to the Bank of Greece (BoG), last year’s travel revenues amounted to €21.7 billion, an increase of €1.1 billion (or 5.4%) compared to the previous year. This significant rise in travel receipts was achieved despite a decline in earnings from French visitors, a trend that market experts primarily attribute to the Olympic Games held in Paris last July and August.
On the other hand, there was a remarkable boost in receipts from American tourists, with an increase of 15.1%, continuing the upward trend seen every year since the pandemic. Between 2022 and 2024, the number of annual visitors from the USA increased from 1 million to nearly 1.55 million, a rise of over 50%, indicating that Greece is capturing an increasing share of the large US market.
The Bank of Greece's data for December was also particularly encouraging, following a very strong November. In the month of Christmas and holiday “getaways,” incoming travel exceeded 882,000 people, meaning arrivals increased by 15.3% compared to December 2023. Receipts “soared” by 33.3%, reaching €435 million. This is further proof that the strategic effort to extend the tourist season, which the government had announced in collaboration with the tourism sector since 2020, is yielding results.
The BoG's figures again confirm the gradual decrease in expenditure per trip. Market experts believe this is a multifaceted issue, also linked to the positive trend of short “getaways,” such as city breaks.
