Greece’s tourism sector is performing strongly across key long-haul and core European markets, according to the latest “Trends & Prospects” report for Q2 2025 by the European Travel Commission (ETC).
While demand from France has weakened for Greece, arrivals from the United States, the UK, Germany, and Italy are driving growth.
According to the data, arrivals from the United States rose by 16.2 percent between January and May 2025, making Greece one of the top-performing Southern Mediterranean destinations for American travelers — just behind Croatia (+18 percent) and Montenegro (+17 percent). By contrast, Portugal saw a modest 2.5 percent increase and Türkiye 10.5 percent.
Research confirms Greece’s status as one of the top ten summer destinations for US visitors, bolstered by improved transatlantic connectivity, competitive pricing, and enduring appeal among Americans seeking cultural and coastal experiences.
Meanwhile, Greece continues to stand out in terms of value for money, even as inflation pressures mount across the broader Southern Mediterranean. While regional inflation reached 10.6 percent, Greece has maintained relatively stable holiday pricing compared to destinations such as Spain and Cyprus. Tourism spending in Greece remained largely flat year-on-year, reflecting steady — if cautious — expenditure patterns by visitors.
Core markets deliver strong growth
Among European markets, performance has been especially strong in Greece’s two largest source markets between January and May 2025. The UK and Germany together accounted for 33 percent of total tourism receipts in 2024 — and both posted substantial growth in early 2025.
During the first five months of the year, British tourist arrivals surged by 41.8 percent, the highest increase among all reporting destinations, attributed to affordable travel packages and Greece’s reliability as a summer destination.
Germany also posted a 19.7 percent increase in arrivals to Greece — the highest among destinations surveyed for German travelers.
Similarly, arrivals from Italy rose by 19.7 percent. Once seen as a more expensive choice, Greece is now viewed as comparable in affordability to Spain, which has boosted its appeal among Italian tourists heading into the summer.
Sharp decline in French arrivals
However, France recorded a sharp 48.7 percent drop in arrivals to Greece — the steepest decline across all measured destinations. French tourists appear to be shifting toward more familiar or larger destinations, such as Spain, in a bid for predictability amid ongoing economic uncertainty.
Greece outpaces the European average
According to TourMIS data, international arrivals to Greece between January and May were 4.9 percent higher than in the same period of 2024, while international nights increased by 2.2 percent — both figures outpacing the European average.
A shift in the timing of Easter from March to April this year distorted travel behavior across Europe. Regional arrivals grew by 3.3 percent year-on-year, while nights declined by 0.7 percent. This marks a slowdown compared to Q1, though most destinations still saw growth in both metrics.
Against this backdrop, Greece maintained steady performance, benefiting from relative price stability and consistent visitor spending.
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