Greek Tourism 2024: Record Performance at a Glance

The tourism figures for 2024, which is now the new reference year for the performance of Greek tourism, are recorded in the “Special Edition - REPORT 2024” of the INSETE Statistical Bulletin. This edition includes data on international arrivals, receipts, domestic tourism, accommodation, short-term rentals, employment, and hotel quality indicators.

According to the World Tourism Organization, international tourism in 2024 records an impressive recovery, reaching 99% of the pre-pandemic levels of 2019. Specifically, 1.4 billion tourists traveled in 2024, approximately 11% more than in 2023 and essentially the same as in 2019. At the same time, many regions worldwide exceeded pre-pandemic levels, with arrivals reaching 132% of 2019 levels in the Middle East, 107% in Africa, 106% in Greece, and 101% in Europe. However, the Americas and the Asia-Pacific region fall short of a full recovery in arrivals, recording 97% and 87% of 2019 levels, respectively.

Regarding tourism receipts in 2024 at a global level, initial estimates indicate that they will exceed pre-pandemic levels, keeping pace with the increase in arrivals and approaching or even exceeding 2019 levels.

In this context, Greek tourism had a comparatively particularly dynamic course with international tourist arrivals (excluding cruise passengers) in 2024 reaching 36 million, up by +9.8% compared to 2023 and +6% compared to 2019.

At the same time, travel receipts (excluding cruises) increased by +4.3% and amounted to €20.6 billion. Cruise revenues recorded a very large increase of +31.2% and amounted to €1.1 billion. Thus, total revenues, including those from cruises, increased by +5.4% and amounted to €21.7 billion.

The main points of the Statistical Bulletin are as follows:

International arrivals 2024

• Air
  26.0 million international air arrivals were recorded, showing an increase of +2.0 million/+8.1% compared to 2023. A notable increase in arrivals was recorded at Athens Airport (+12.0%).
• Road Arrivals
  International road arrivals reached 11.9 million, compared to 10.4 million in 2023, showing an increase of 1.5 million/+14.4%.
• Cruise & Coastal Traffic from the Adriatic
  In 51 ports of the country, total passenger arrivals amounted to 7.9 million, showing an increase of +13% compared to 2023, while cruise ship arrivals reached 5,490, showing an increase of +5%.
  Passenger traffic from the Adriatic is estimated to have decreased by 5.8% in 2024 compared to 2023, while the estimated number of passengers is 1.3 million.
• Revenues & Average Per Capita Expenditure (APE) 2024

Travel receipts (excluding cruises) increased by +4.3% to €20.6 billion.

Cruise revenues recorded a very large increase of +31.2% to €1.1 billion. Thus, total revenues, including cruise revenues, increased by +5.4% to €21.7 billion.

This development is due to the increase in receipts from residents of the EU-27 countries by +7.0% to €11,949 million. €, as well as receipts from residents of other countries by +0.8% to €8,641 million.

In particular, receipts from Germany increased by +3.5% to €3,696 million, while receipts from France decreased by 11.4% to €1,263 million. Receipts from Italy increased by +13.6%, reaching €1,225 million.

Among other countries, receipts from the United Kingdom decreased by 3.7%, reaching €3,173 million, while receipts from the USA increased by +15.1% to €1,581 million.

Average Spending Per Capita (excluding cruises) reached €573, down €30 / -5.1% in 2024 from €603 in 2023.

• Domestic Tourism 2024

9.7 million domestic air arrivals were recorded compared to 9.0 million in 2023, up +7.1%.

Regarding coastal shipping, the estimated number of passengers is 19.4 million compared to 18.7 million in 2023, up +3.5%.

• Hotel Performance 2024

Hotel turnover amounted to €11.4 billion in 2024, up +9% compared to 2023, where total turnover was €10.6 billion. €

The increase was greater in the 4* and 5* categories (+10%) and less in the 1*-3* categories (+5%).

Hotels invested 9% of their turnover, i.e., €1 billion, compared to €761 million in 2023 (7% of turnover).

The quality assessment of hotels in 2024 remained high (GRI hotel satisfaction index 86.9% / Net Promoter Score 51).

• Short-Term Rental 2024

According to Lighthouse data, the maximum number of accommodations offered was 233 thousand with 1 million beds in August, and the smallest was 190 thousand accommodations with 846 thousand beds in January. The corresponding figures in 2023 were 212 thousand accommodations and 939 thousand beds in July and 172 thousand accommodations and 780 thousand beds in January.

• Employment 2024

At the peak of the tourist season (Q3) in 2024, employment in accommodation and catering amounted to 451 thousand, an increase of +2% from 441 thousand in 2023.

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