Greece's Tourism Sector Soars to New Heights in 2024 with Record-Breaking Success

By the end of the first ten months of 2024, tourism revenues in Greece surpassed the total for 2023, reaching an impressive 20.9 billion euros. Projections indicate this figure will climb to 22 billion euros by year-end, a significant leap from 20.5 billion euros in 2023. The consistent increase highlights the growing global appeal of Greece as a premier travel destination.

Between January and November 2024, Greece welcomed a record-breaking 36.9 million international visitors via air and road. This represents a substantial year-on-year increase. Air arrivals accounted for 25.5 million of these visitors, while road arrivals contributed 11.4 million, according to data from the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority and Athens International Airport.

Major tourist destinations like Rhodes and Crete experienced significant growth in arrivals, while Athens International Airport welcomed 7.5 million international visitors, a 12.6 percent year-on-year increase. Airports in Heraklion and Chania also recorded robust growth, with arrivals up by 6.8 percent and 8.3 percent, respectively. Smaller destinations showed exceptional growth, with some locations achieving increases exceeding 40 percent.

Road arrivals grew to 11.4 million in 2024, marking a 15 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023 and surpassing pre-pandemic levels. November alone witnessed a 39.4 percent surge in road arrivals. Notably, arrivals from Bulgaria, Turkey, North Macedonia, and Albania recorded significant growth, with Turkey leading in percentage increase at 29.5 percent.