Greek tourism has kept up a strong, sustained climb since the pandemic — though not everyone has shared in it equally, according to a new Alpha Bank analysis, “Greek Tourism in 2026: Mapping Flows in the Post-Pandemic Era.”
After bouncing back quickly once the pandemic eased, Greek tourism went on to post record numbers for three straight years, from 2023 through 2025, in both arrivals and revenue. By 2025, arrivals were up 21% on 2019’s pre-pandemic record, and travel receipts had climbed 28%. That pushed Greece’s share of global tourist arrivals from 2.1% in 2019 to 2.5% in 2025.
Cruise tourism led the charge, with arrivals and revenue more than doubling since 2019 to reach all-time highs.
The momentum carried into 2026. In the first half of the year, travel receipts were up almost 15% year-on-year and arrivals climbed 15.4%. Spending per trip dipped slightly compared with the same period in 2025, but was still 12% above 2019 levels. Air traffic data suggest the trend held through July, with international passenger numbers up 5.3% at Athens International Airport and 5.2% at regional airports.
But the recovery hasn’t played out the same way everywhere, the analysis found. Some destinations have pulled ahead, while others have grown more modestly. And the boom isn’t just coming from Greece’s usual markets — emerging ones have steadily been claiming a bigger slice of the country’s inbound tourism.
Among the report’s key findings for 2019-2025:
Attica came out as the biggest winner of the post-pandemic period, sharply increasing its share of both visitors and revenue.
The South Aegean and Crete held onto their dominant position, still drawing the lion’s share of demand — but newer destinations like Epirus are now growing fast, both in visitor numbers and revenue.
Germany and the UK remain Greece’s top source markets, and their importance has only grown, but they’re increasingly being joined by rising markets like Albania, Spain and several Scandinavian countries.
Source: tovima.com
