Surge in Turkish Tourism to North Aegean Islands in 2024 Boosted by Express Visa Agreement

In 2024, approximately 340,000 Turkish citizens and Europeans of Turkish descent chose the North Aegean islands as their holiday destination, according to data from the General Police Directorate of the North Aegean. A total of 339,985 visitors were recorded, with 71,648 taking advantage of the seven-day 'express visa' available to those traveling from the Turkish coast. Most of these tourists visited the islands of Lesvos, Chios, and Samos. The express visa was introduced in April 2024 following an agreement between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Aris Lazaris, the General Secretary of the Union of Tourist and Travel Agencies of Lesvos, commented to ANA-MPA, "This agreement invigorated bilateral relations across the Aegean and facilitated a significant influx of Turkish tourists from the Turkish coast to the islands."

Additionally, this agreement boosted visits even among individuals who already held a regular visa, enabling groups of people, both with and without visas, to vacation together on the islands. Over 30,000 of the Turkish visitors were European citizens of Turkish descent, who traveled to the Greek islands with their Turkish relatives during their holidays in Turkey.

As the 'express visa' arrangement is set to expire on March 31, local stakeholders are advocating for its renewal, citing its substantial positive impact on the local economy. There are promising indications that 2025 could see an even larger influx of tourists from Turkey, evidenced by numerous bookings during Muslim religious holidays in March and a notable weekend visitation rate by Turkish citizens even in the offseason during January.