Tourism: Chinese airlines are taking Greece by storm

Increased mobility from the Chinese market to Greece is indicated by the expansion of Chinese carriers’ flight schedules between the two countries for 2025, placing Greece in an advantageous position to capitalize on the new dynamics of outbound tourism in the populous Asian market.

The new connection that Sichuan Airlines is introducing with Athens, from Chengdu Tianfu International Airport, is the latest addition to the air connection between the two countries. Chengdu Tianfu Airport revealed on April 25 the launch of this new connection, which will be a vehicle for increasing arrivals from China. The flights will start next June and will have a stopover in Istanbul.

A visa application center is operated in Chengdu by the consulate of the Greek embassy in Beijing, which makes the city and the wider Sichuan province, with a population of 90 million, particularly important for inbound tourism from China. In fact, Sichuan province and the Attica Region have signed a twinning agreement, aiming to expand, deepen, and strengthen cooperation between the two regions.

Juneyao Airlines has increased the frequency of flights between Shanghai and Athens for 2025, from 3 last year to 4 weekly. The flights began on April 13, 2025, and are operated with a 787-9 aircraft.

At the same time, Air China plans to expand its flight schedule to Athens from Beijing during the high season. Specifically, the frequency of flights from Beijing, for the period from 1 to 29 July 2025, increases from 4 to 5 per week and will be operated with an A330-300 aircraft, as follows...

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CA863 PEK0230 – 0820ATH 333 x247

CA590 ATH1415 – 0520+1PEK 333 2

CA864 ATH1415 – 0520+1PEK 333 x247

From August, flights return to 4 per week.

In addition, China Eastern expanded its codeshare partnership with Juneyao Airlines in April, covering selected routes of the latter in Europe, including the Shanghai-Athens route.

+30% Chinese arrivals in Athens in 2024

The data from Athens International Airport is also encouraging. The 3 weekly flight frequencies from China in the summer of 2019 increased to 8 in the summer of 2024, and 12 weekly frequencies are expected for the summer of 2025. In 2024, direct passenger traffic increased by 90% compared to 2019, indicating a stronger presence of Chinese airlines and increased demand for direct travel between the two countries. At the same time, arrivals of Chinese travelers in Athens recorded a 30% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels.

However, the total supply of seats from China for our country in 2025, according to INSETE's air seat planning data so far, does not appear to have increased, with the data showing a decrease of 1.9% (70,942 compared to 72,328 in the corresponding period of 2024) for the summer season of 2025 (March - October).

Strong trend for travel to Europe

However, the latest trends recorded in the Chinese market show an increased willingness to travel abroad, with Europe being a particularly attractive option for long-haul travel.

According to the China Trading Desk, China's outbound tourism in 2025 is expected to exceed 2019 levels for the first time since the pandemic, at 155 million, while by 2028, Chinese people traveling abroad are expected to reach 200 million.

At the same time, the Chinese Traveler Sentiment Report (April 2025) by Dragon Trail International shows that, by mid-March 2025, 75% of Chinese people were interested in traveling abroad in 2025 or had already traveled internationally. This is the highest percentage since Dragon Trail began its research in December 2022.

While the largest percentage of trips are to Asia, Europe is the leading destination for long-haul travel, with 16% having visited it on a recent trip and 19% planning or booking a trip there. In fact, Europe’s average score for interest in international destinations, with a top interest score of 5, is 3.82.

A valuable market for Greek tourism

The “compatibility” of their travel preferences with Greece as a holiday destination, as well as their high spending, makes China a valuable market. According to the same research, Chinese people travel abroad with an interest in nature, art, and culture, as well as sports activities. 70% of Chinese who choose international travel have previously attended a sporting or cultural event, or participated in a cultural activity.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

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