Where Greece’s Tourists Come From: A Look at 2025’s Top Visitor Markets

As Greece enters the summer season of 2025, its tourism sector continues to shine as a global success story. With international demand remaining robust, especially from key European and transatlantic markets, the country is on track to host millions of visitors once again this year.

According to data from the Air Data Tracker by INSETE (the Institute of the Greek Tourism Confederation), a total of 28.2 million international air seats are scheduled for Greece in the summer of 2025 — an increase of 4.6% compared to 2024. These figures paint a clear picture of continued strength in Greek tourism, despite global economic headwinds.

UK and Germany Lead the Pack

The United Kingdom continues to hold the top spot as the largest source of incoming tourism, with 5.6 million seats booked for Greece this summer — up 2.2% from last year. This accounts for 20% of all international air traffic to Greece.

Not far behind is Germany, with 4.7 million air seats (up 2.5%), representing 17% of the total. These two markets have long been the pillars of Greek tourism and are expected to remain so for the foreseeable future.

Italy Shows Steady Growth

Italy holds third place, with 2.5 million seats, a 3.9% increase from 2024. Its steady growth over recent years underscores a consistent interest in Greece as a summer destination among Italian travelers.

Soaring Interest from the United States and Israel

While Europe continues to dominate, the United States is quickly becoming a major player. In 2025, the U.S. market is expected to reach 727,000 seats, marking an impressive 18.6% year-over-year increase. Despite concerns over inflation and consumer spending raised at the recent Delphi Economic Forum, U.S. interest in Greece appears to be stronger than ever.

Even more dramatic is the growth from Israel, with air capacity surging by 52.1% to over 1.3 million seats. This positions Israel as a vital emerging market for Greek tourism.

Expanding Reach: Saudi Arabia, Albania, Armenia, and Georgia

Several countries with historically smaller volumes are seeing rapid increases in air traffic to Greece:

• Saudi Arabia: +45% (84,000 seats)
• Albania: +56% (156,000 seats)
• Armenia: +68.5% (75,000 seats)
• Georgia: +113% (126,000 seats)

These figures suggest that Greece is successfully diversifying its tourism base, attracting more visitors from Southeast Europe and the Middle East.

A Few Markets on the Decline

Despite the overall upward trend, some markets are seeing a dip in air travel to Greece:

• France: -2.6% (1.7 million seats)
• Poland: -6.7% (682,000 seats)
• Denmark: -7.3% (298,000 seats)

While these declines are not drastic, they highlight the importance of continually adapting Greece’s tourism strategy to shifting global conditions.

Tovima.com