Published on
August 25, 2025
UK, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Netherlands—as international tourism continues to boom in Greece, many Greek citizens are increasingly opting for these more affordable European destinations over their own country’s rising holiday costs. While luxury resorts and boutique hotels across Greece remain packed with foreign tourists, locals are finding that domestic travel, especially to popular islands and cities, has become prohibitively expensive. Instead, Greeks are heading to nearby European countries, where travel expenses are often more budget-friendly, leading to a significant shift in travel preferences and spending habits.
Summer in Greece is at its peak, with luxury resorts, boutique island hotels, and urban rentals in Athens and Thessaloniki filled by international visitors. Tourists are taking ferries, helicopters, and seaplanes to explore idyllic coastlines and islands. Yet, while millions of travellers arrive to enjoy Greece’s sun-soaked beaches and world-class hospitality, a growing number of Greek citizens are quietly leaving their homeland behind—at least for their holidays. Rising domestic prices and stagnant wages are making it more affordable for locals to travel abroad than to enjoy vacations within their own country.
Rising Costs at Home
Although tourism remains one of Greece’s strongest industries, the reality for many local residents is becoming increasingly challenging. Salaries remain relatively low compared with European averages, and taxation remains high. For those without family homes in mountain villages, coastal towns, or on the islands, domestic getaways often feel out of reach.
This has created an unusual paradox: while Greece markets itself as a dream holiday destination for high-income travellers worldwide, many of its own citizens are being priced out. Families and young couples now find it less expensive to book trips abroad than to stay in Greek destinations like Corfu, Mykonos, or Santorini.
A Case Study: Choosing Tenerife Over Corfu
The shift is illustrated by the example of a Greek couple whose combined income is above the national average. They initially planned a trip to Corfu, one of Greece’s most popular island escapes. However, after reviewing the costs, they realised the price of accommodation, food, and transportation was far beyond their budget. Instead, they chose the Spanish island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands.
The decision saved them approximately €1,000 (\$1,170). Their experience reflects a wider trend among middle-class Greeks: vacations within Greece are becoming too expensive, while foreign destinations often provide more value for money.
Spending Trends: Data from the Bank of Greece
Figures from the Bank of Greece confirm this growing movement. In 2024, Greek residents spent €2.8 billion (\$3.28 billion) on trips abroad, compared to €2.2 billion (\$2.57 billion) on domestic vacations. The trend has accelerated in 2025: in just the first six months of the year, spending on overseas holidays reached €1.677 billion (\$1.96 billion), about 25 percent higher than the €1.344 billion (\$1.57 billion) spent within Greece.
This means that more Greek holidaymakers are contributing to the economies of other European countries than to their own tourism sector, a situation that raises questions about affordability and long-term policy priorities.
Government Efforts and Economic Pressures
The New Democracy government has made several moves to ease financial pressures on households. The minimum wage has been raised twice in recent years, pension benefits have been boosted, and officials have promised to align salaries more closely with the European Union average. However, these measures have not kept pace with the rising cost of living, particularly in the tourism sector.
Accommodation prices, restaurant costs, and even ferry tickets have climbed in response to growing demand from international visitors. For Greek families already stretched thin by inflation and taxes, these increases make a summer holiday at home an unaffordable luxury.
The INSETE Report: Growth in Outbound Travel
Research by the Institute of the Greek Tourism Confederation (INSETE) highlights the scale of the change. In its study Outgoing Travel Flows in Greece, 2023–2024, the institute noted that outbound holiday departures rose by 8 percent in 2024, reaching 6.7 million. Spending on these trips also increased significantly, rising by 15 percent to €2.8 billion (\$3.28 billion).
This data demonstrates not just a temporary shift, but a sustained trend in Greek travel behaviour. More residents are choosing to explore destinations abroad rather than spend their limited budgets within Greece.
Preferred Destinations Abroad
Interestingly, the most popular choices are not the nearby countries of Bulgaria and Turkey—traditionally seen as cheap options—but Western European nations such as France, Italy, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. Many of these destinations are perceived as better value for money than domestic alternatives, particularly when flights and package deals are considered.
For Greek travellers, a holiday in Spain or Italy can often be arranged at a lower overall cost than a week in the Aegean islands. This reality underscores the pressures of domestic pricing and demonstrates how international competition is influencing Greek holidaymaking.
A Tourism Paradox
Greece finds itself in a paradoxical position. On the one hand, its global reputation as a premier travel destination has never been stronger. International arrivals are surging, luxury tourism is booming, and the government is actively marketing to high-income visitors. On the other hand, everyday Greeks are being squeezed out of their own holiday market.
The result is a widening divide between inbound and outbound travel flows. While the economy benefits from international arrivals, the outflow of Greek spending to other European countries raises concerns about long-term sustainability and social equity.
A New Travel Reality for Greeks
The summer of 2025 highlights a stark contrast: Greece is filled with foreign holidaymakers willing to pay premium prices, while many locals are heading abroad in search of affordability. Whether choosing Spain’s Canary Islands, Italy’s coastal towns, or city breaks in the Netherlands and the UK, Greek residents are reshaping the country’s tourism landscape.
UK, Turkey, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Netherlands are becoming preferred holiday destinations for many Greeks, as rising domestic travel costs push locals to seek more affordable options across Europe. With high prices on the islands and mainland, Europeans now offer better value for Greek travelers.
Unless domestic travel becomes more affordable, this outward trend is likely to continue. Greece may remain one of Europe’s top tourist destinations for foreigners, but for many Greeks, homegrown holidays are becoming an unattainable dream.
