Greece is on track for a new record year in tourism in 2025, with travel receipts surpassing €20 billion in the first nine months alone, according to Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni.
In an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA), Kefalogianni said data from January to September 2025 show revenues up by 9% compared to the same period in 2024 — itself a record year — while international arrivals increased by 4%. Passenger traffic at Greek airports also rose further in October and November, confirming strong momentum toward year-end.
“Overall, 2025 is expected to be a new record year for Greek tourism,” the minister said, noting that Greece is increasingly becoming a year-round destination as winter and shoulder-season travel continues to grow.
She highlighted particularly strong performance from the US market, with receipts up about 12% and arrivals rising by 5.6% in the nine-month period. Direct flights from major US cities reached 103 in 2025, further strengthening air connectivity.
Looking ahead, Kefalogianni said Greece ranks among the world’s top 10 most visited destinations and early signals for 2026 are “particularly encouraging.” New direct air routes have already been announced, including Dallas–Athens and New Delhi–Athens, alongside new holiday packages to destinations such as Thessaloniki, mainland Greece, and the North Aegean.
The ministry’s strategy focuses on sustainable and qualitative growth, aiming to protect Greece’s natural and cultural heritage while ensuring tourism benefits local communities in a fair and balanced way.
Key target markets include further growth from the United States, the opening of India — with the first direct flights expected in early 2026 — as well as East Asia (South Korea and Japan) and the Middle East.
Kefalogianni also outlined initiatives to enhance Greece’s global profile, including the extension of cooperation with the Michelin Guide. For 2026, new restaurant selections will be made for Athens, while Thessaloniki and Santorini will be included for the first time. At the same time, Greece’s official tourism portal, Visitgreece.gr, is being redesigned and will incorporate artificial intelligence and augmented reality technologies.
On the legislative front, the minister said the government is advancing reforms based on “quality, sustainability, and balance.” These include a mandatory environmental rating system for hotels, new safety and operating standards for short-term rentals, and measures to boost mountain tourism with year-round operations and the creation of “Sustainable Mountain Tourism Destinations.”
Regarding spatial planning, Kefalogianni said consultations have been completed on the draft Joint Ministerial Decision for the Special Spatial Framework for Tourism. The process is now focused on assessing impacts on Natura 2000 protected areas, after which the framework will be finalized with the Ministry of Environment and Energy.
Addressing labour shortages in the sector, she acknowledged the challenge faced across Europe and stressed the importance of strengthening tourism education and training. More than 18,000 beneficiaries are taking part in reskilling programs funded by the Recovery Fund, while measures are also being implemented to improve working conditions, including staff housing, collective agreements, and the Digital Work Card.
“Our goal is to make tourism employment an attractive and conscious career choice,” Kefalogianni said.
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