Greece’s Tourism Sector Soars to New Heights in 2024 with Record-Breaking Success

Tuesday, December 31, 2024

Greece’s tourism industry is wrapping up 2024 on a historic high, setting unprecedented benchmarks in both revenue and visitor numbers. Recent data from the Greek Tourism Confederation’s research body underscores the sector’s remarkable growth trajectory.

Tourism Revenue Soars to Record Levels

By the end of the first ten months of 2024, tourism revenues in Greece surpassed the total for 2023, reaching an impressive 20.9 billion euros. Projections indicate this figure will climb to 22 billion euros by year-end, a significant leap from 20.5 billion euros in 2023. The consistent increase highlights the growing global appeal of Greece as a premier travel destination.

Visitor Arrivals Surge

Between January and November 2024, Greece welcomed a record-breaking 36.9 million international visitors via air and road. This represents a substantial year-on-year increase. Air arrivals accounted for 25.5 million of these visitors, while road arrivals contributed 11.4 million, according to data from the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority and Athens International Airport.

October and November saw particularly strong performance in air arrivals, with October recording 2.3 million arrivals—a 10.9 percent increase—and November seeing a 14.7 percent rise with 613,000 arrivals.

Destination Highlights

Major tourist destinations like Rhodes and Crete experienced significant growth in arrivals, while Athens International Airport welcomed 7.5 million international visitors, a 12.6 percent year-on-year increase. Airports in Heraklion and Chania also recorded robust growth, with arrivals up by 6.8 percent and 8.3 percent, respectively. Smaller destinations showed exceptional growth, with some locations achieving increases exceeding 40 percent.

International Road Arrivals Expand

Road arrivals grew to 11.4 million in 2024, marking a 15 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023 and surpassing pre-pandemic levels. November alone witnessed a 39.4 percent surge in road arrivals. Notably, arrivals from Bulgaria, Turkey, North Macedonia, and Albania recorded significant growth, with Turkey leading in percentage increase at 29.5 percent.

Key Revenue Markets

Germany retained its position as the top contributor to Greece’s tourism revenue, generating 3.6 billion euros. Other strong-performing markets included the United Kingdom, with receipts of 3.2 billion euros, and the United States, which saw revenues rise by 10.1 percent to 1.4 billion euros. Italy also demonstrated notable growth, with a 15.7 percent increase in revenue. However, revenues from France experienced a 10 percent decline.

Conclusion

The robust growth in Greece’s tourism sector during 2024 underscores its enduring appeal and the successful efforts to extend the tourist season. With record-setting revenue and arrivals, Greece is poised to further cement its status as a leading global travel destination.