In March, Greece experienced a significant surge in inbound tourist arrivals, marking a remarkable increase of 31.2 percent compared to the same period last year, according to data released by the Bank of Greece (BoG) this week.
The country welcomed approximately 874.0 thousand visitors during the month, driving travel receipts up by 34.2 percent, as indicated by the BoG report. The rise in traveller traffic was notably observed through both air and land routes, with arrivals at airports increasing by 35.2 percent and those at border-crossing points by 26.6 percent year-on-year.
Analysts at the central bank attributed the substantial growth in March to a notable increase in arrivals from EU member states, up by 23.9 percent, as well as from other countries, which surged by 39.3 percent.
In terms of traveller spending, key source markets contributing to the surge in travel receipts included Germany, France, Italy, the UK, and the US. Notably, Germany generated 37.7 million euros in travel receipts, marking a 36.9 percent increase, followed by France with a 24.4 percent rise to 16.0 million euros. Italy saw a significant surge of 127.0 percent, contributing 27.1 million euros, while the UK and the US recorded increases of 41.7 percent and 44.0 percent, respectively.
Breaking down the data, receipts from EU residents increased by 30.3 percent to 166.2 million euros, compared to 127.5 million euros in March 2023, while travelers from outside the EU contributed 190.6 million euros, marking a substantial rise of 40.3 percent from 135.8 million euros in the previous year.
Looking at the first quarter of the year, excluding cruise passengers, Greece witnessed a 24.5 percent increase in arrivals, totaling 2,332.5 thousand visitors. This influx generated a total of 942.0 million euros in travel receipts during the January–March period, representing a notable uptick of 28.2 percent compared to the same period in the previous year. Key markets contributing to this growth included Germany, the UK, and the US.
(Source: GTP)
