Greek Tourists Abroad Up 20%: Visa

The number of Greek tourists travelling abroad recorded a near 20% rise for the first 9 months in 2024 compared to the same period in 2024, according to data released by Visa card.

Spending of Greeks visitors abroad over the same period was commensurate with the increase in the number of travelers, also at 20%, the data showed.

According to Visa, Italy, Germany, the UK, France, and Turkey were the most popular tourist destinations for Greeks, while Egypt recorded the sharpest rise between January and September at over 80%. Albania, the UAE and Slovenia followed regarding the highest increases.

As for the spending habits of Greek tourists abroad, restaurants, food, accommodation, clothing and accessories topped their preferences, with Italy, the UK, France, Germany and Spain holding the lion’s share.

Visa data show differing consumer spending patterns among the five top travel destinations, with notable variations by country.

In Italy, 20% of total spending goes toward clothing and accessories, well above the average of 12% seen in other markets. In Germany, spending on food and groceries was roughly double the overall average. French consumers spent about 3% more than average on entertainment, while in the United Kingdom purchases at department stores were 4% higher than the norm.

Visa Greece Country Manager Nikos Petrakis said the company aims to make travel payments seamless. “Every trip should be simple: one tap of the card, a reliable network, everywhere,” he said. As Greeks travel to more destinations, Visa is working with banks and merchants to expand modern payment solutions, from tokenized checkout to contactless transactions, ensuring payments work smoothly in the background throughout the journey.

Source: tovima.com