Greek tourism grows, islands remain top attraction

Greek tourism experienced a notable upswing in 2025, with the number of overnight stays reaching 156.3 million, a 2.2 percent increase from the previous year. Tourist arrivals also saw a significant rise of nearly 3 percent, totaling 38.2 million visitors to various accommodation facilities, including hotels, guesthouses, campsites, and short-term rental properties.

Foreign tourists continued to dominate the sector, accounting for approximately 74 percent of all arrivals and 84 percent of overnight stays. Europe remains the most crucial source market, generating 80 percent of arrivals and 90 percent of overnight stays. The United Kingdom led European markets, contributing over 12 percent of tourist arrivals and nearly 16 percent of overnight stays. Germany also represented a substantial portion, with a 7.5 percent share of foreign arrivals and a 9 percent share of overnight stays.

Among the fastest-growing source markets were Bulgaria, Serbia, and China, which saw double-digit percentage increases in arrivals. The United States also maintained its position as the largest overseas market for Greece. Polish tourists, while not among the top markets, still contributed 1.8 percent of overnight stays by foreign visitors.

The Southern Aegean islands and Crete emerged as the most popular destinations, collectively accounting for 39.5 percent of all arrivals and 49 percent of overnight stays. Attica, Central Macedonia, and the Ionian Islands also attracted significant numbers of tourists. Notably, the Ionian Islands recorded the highest hotel occupancy rate in the country at 59.7 percent, surpassing the national average by nine percentage points. The peak tourist season remained concentrated in the summer months, with July to October seeing over half of the year's arrivals and nearly two-thirds of all overnight stays.