According to Newsbeast, Athens is targeting Asian markets, especially those of India, China, and Malaysia, to attract tourists without bypassing traditional powers such as England, Germany, and the USA.
Greece is focusing on a strategy to expand its tourism and economic profile, which is particularly important for entering new, dynamic markets.
Greece aims to strengthen its presence in Asia, especially in regions that show excellent growth potential for the coming years. Greece seeks to open new avenues of cooperation and develop strategies that will ensure the sustainable development of the country’s tourism sector.
India, with its rapidly growing economy and large population, is considered one of the most promising markets for Greek tourism.
The government has already begun to strengthen diplomatic and communication relations with India, creating new consulates in important cities, such as Mumbai and Bangalore, as the Greek embassy in Delhi is not sufficient to meet demand.
At the same time, Greece is scheduled to participate in a tourism exhibition in New Delhi in February 2025 to strengthen relations with Indian tour operators and promote Greek tourism products in the Indian market.
In addition, Greece is considering the possibility of developing air connections with India, with interest from Aegean and Athens International Airport.
The creation of direct flights is expected to be an important factor in increasing tourist flows from India, as this country presents great potential for disseminating the Greek tourism product, with particular emphasis on luxury experiences and cultural tourism.
Beyond India, the Ministry of Tourism’s 2025 strategy also extends to other Asian markets, which are expected to contribute significantly to the growth of the Greek tourism sector.
Strengthening ties with these markets aims to attract high-spending tourists and promote Greece as a top destination for travellers from regions with rapidly growing economies, such as China, Japan, Malaysia and South Korea.
Traditional markets: Stable key partners
Despite the new emphasis on emerging markets, Greece remains committed to its traditional markets, which are the main source of tourism revenue.
In particular, the US market, with its high level of spending and the quality of visitors, continues to be one of the most profitable markets for the Greek tourism industry.
The challenges of enhancing direct air connections, especially to the US West Coast, remain high, but the relevant bodies insist on improving accessibility for American tourists.
Furthermore, the Greek market remains committed to the United Kingdom, with the Ministry of Tourism planning the signing of a bilateral tourism cooperation agreement. This agreement is expected to boost tourist arrivals and bring new investment opportunities.
According to initial estimates for 2025, the British market is expected to surpass even the German market in numbers, thus remaining one of the main pillars of Greek tourism.
Sustainable development and outreach strategy
Sustainable development remains a central pillar of the country’s tourism strategy.
In this context, Greece is making significant changes to the Special Spatial Planning Framework for Tourism to ensure a more responsible and environmentally conscious development of tourism infrastructure.
At the same time, the Ministry of Tourism and the Greek National Tourism Organization are strengthening the country’s promotional activities, with an estimated 20 million euros allocated for international campaigns in 2025.
The Greek National Tourism Organization is planning to upgrade its 17 offices abroad, strengthening its operations to meet the requirements of the new strategy.
With the new strategy focused on sustainable development and promoting Greece as a leading tourist destination in the global market, our country can exploit the new opportunities offered by emerging markets while continuing to strengthen its position in traditional high-potential markets.
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