Published on
October 30, 2025
Greece experienced a remarkable summer tourism season, marked by a significant rise in arrivals from key markets such as the UK, US, Germany, Italy, France, and Russia. This surge in visitors contributed to a robust travel surplus, reinforcing Greece’s position as one of Europe’s top summer destinations. Factors such as improved flight connectivity, attractive holiday packages, and a growing reputation for offering diverse cultural and coastal experiences have played a major role in boosting tourist numbers and driving economic growth.
Greece’s tourism sector posted impressive numbers in August 2025, continuing its strong recovery and growth trajectory. Preliminary data from the Bank of Greece revealed that the country’s balance of travel services reached a surplus of €4.15 billion, an increase from €3.83 billion in August 2024. This rise highlights the sector’s ability to attract more visitors and generate greater spending, despite the global challenges facing the travel industry.
The increase in surplus came primarily from a 10.5% jump in travel receipts, which totaled €4.52 billion in August. This surge was attributed to both a rise in the number of visitors and an increase in spending per visitor. Travel payments also saw a significant rise, growing by 41.4% to €375 million, which indicates an increase in outbound travel from Greece as well. The Bank of Greece underscored the crucial role of tourism, emphasizing that it remains one of the country’s most important economic pillars. Net travel income, in particular, covered 188% of Greece’s goods deficit and represented 94% of net service receipts in August.
Strong Performance Over the Year
Greece’s tourism sector maintained its positive performance throughout 2025. For the first eight months of the year, Greece posted a surplus of €14.34 billion from travel services, compared to €13.04 billion for the same period in 2024. This represents a strong year-on-year growth, with the total value of travel receipts reaching €16.71 billion, a 12% increase compared to 2024. This growth was driven by a 4.1% rise in inbound traffic and a 7.2% increase in average spending per trip.
The rise in travel payments, which increased 26% to €2.37 billion, reflects the overall rise in both domestic and international travel. The strong performance of the sector indicates that Greece’s tourism industry continues to thrive, significantly boosting the national economy. Net tourism revenue during the first eight months of 2025 covered 65% of Greece’s goods deficit and accounted for 88% of net service earnings, making tourism the main driver of Greece’s service export income.
Non-EU Markets Show Strong Growth
In August 2025, the increase in travel receipts was largely driven by visitors from non-EU markets. Travel revenue from non-EU travelers surged 30.5% to €1.86 billion, while income from EU residents decreased by 2% to €2.44 billion. This drop in income from EU residents was largely due to a decline in spending by visitors from the eurozone.
Among Greece’s key source markets, Germany, its largest inbound market, saw a significant drop in travel receipts. Income from German visitors fell 16.5%, totaling €612.3 million in August 2025. Similarly, receipts from France and Italy dropped by 13.7% and 8%, respectively.
On the other hand, the United Kingdom posted a remarkable performance, with receipts from UK visitors soaring by 40% to €848.7 million in August. Other major markets also showed varied results. The United States saw a slight decline of 3.1%, with receipts falling to €205.3 million. Conversely, receipts from Russia edged up slightly, reaching €4.9 million in August.
Overall Strong Performance from Major Markets
Despite challenges in some key markets, Greece’s tourism industry performed robustly from January to August 2025. Revenue from EU travelers rose 9.4% to €9.18 billion, while income from non-EU visitors increased by nearly 15% to €6.71 billion. The U.S. market stood out, with a 20.6% increase in receipts year-on-year. Other markets, such as Germany (+6.6%), France (+5.5%), Italy (+1.4%), and the United Kingdom (+8.7%), also showed positive growth, despite challenges in some of these regions.
Inbound Visitor Numbers Surge
Greece welcomed 7.47 million visitors in August 2025, an 8.1% increase compared to August 2024. This surge in visitor numbers was driven by a 22.7% rise in road arrivals, along with a 2.7% increase in air arrivals. The total number of inbound visitors from both EU and non-EU markets showed positive growth, with EU arrivals up by 4.5% and non-EU arrivals rising by 14.6%.
Within the eurozone, Germany led the growth in arrivals, with 7.2% more visitors arriving in Greece compared to August 2024. Meanwhile, France saw a slight decline in arrivals, while Italy posted modest improvements. Among long-haul markets, the UK recorded a 12.4% increase in arrivals, contributing significantly to Greece’s overall tourism performance. However, U.S. arrivals dropped sharply by 23.5% in August, even though spending levels remained relatively stable.
Year-to-Date Arrival Numbers
Between January and August 2025, total arrivals to Greece reached 25.92 million, reflecting a 4.1% increase compared to the previous year. This growth was driven by increases in both air traffic (4.2%) and road arrivals (4.8%). Notably, arrivals from the eurozone grew by 3.8%, although non-euro EU arrivals showed weaker growth. The U.S. and UK markets both expanded, while France experienced a decline in visitor numbers during the same period.
Tourism’s Critical Role in Greece’s Economy
Tourism remains the backbone of Greece’s economy, contributing significantly to both the national income and the balance of payments. The strong performance in both visitor arrivals and spending highlights the ongoing appeal of Greece as a top global travel destination. With continued growth in key markets such as the United Kingdom and the United States, and a rising share of revenue from non-EU markets, Greece’s tourism industry is set to remain a key driver of economic growth throughout 2025.
Greece saw a strong summer tourism season with higher arrivals from the UK, US, Germany, Italy, France, and Russia, driven by improved flight connectivity, appealing holiday offers, and its diverse cultural and coastal experiences.
Greece’s ability to adapt and maintain its position as a top destination for international travelers underlines the sector’s resilience and its vital contribution to the country’s economic prosperity in the coming months.
