Greek Tourism Tops €20 Billion

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Greece’s tourism sector crossed a major milestone in 2025, generating €20.1 billion in revenue between January and September, up 9% year-on-year. According to Greek City Times, the country welcomed 31.6 million visitors during this period, a 4% increase that underscores Greece’s enduring appeal to both European and long-haul travelers.

Yet beneath the record numbers, spending behaviour has begun to shift. September revenues fell by 3.6% to €3.4 billion despite a 3.6% rise in arrivals. Data from the Bank of Greece show that average spending per trip in September dropped by 7.8% compared with the same month in 2024.

Germany weakens as Italy and France surge

The September slowdown hit eurozone travelers hardest. Revenue from EU-27 countries declined by 10.2%, driven largely by a 13% drop in spending from eurozone residents. Germany, Greece’s largest source market, saw revenues plunge by 28.3% to €477.5 million.

By contrast, France and Italy moved sharply against the trend. French visitor spending rose by 20% to €168.7 million, while Italian revenues jumped by 42.5% to €212.5 million, highlighting a rebalancing within Europe’s outbound travel flows.

Non-EU markets and the UK effect

Revenue from non-EU-27 countries dipped slightly in September, but on a broader non-EU basis still grew by 3.6% to €1.5 billion. The UK stood out as the strongest performer, with tourist spending climbing 27.4% to €612.7 million.

The US market, however, softened. American tourist spending fell by 19.5% to €224.9 million in September, even though arrivals for the nine-month period increased to 1.2 million, up 5.6% year-on-year.

Nine-month resilience amid new border rules

Across the full January–September window, Greece’s tourism resilience remains evident. EU-27 visitors contributed €10.9 billion, up 5.6%, while non-EU travelers generated €8.1 billion, a robust 12.7% increase. Total arrivals rose 4.3%, with growth from non-EU markets outpacing Europe.

At the same time, new EU border systems are reshaping travel logistics. The Entry/Exit System launched in October 2025, and ETIAS is due in late 2026. While designed to enhance security, these measures may influence travel behaviour, particularly for long-haul visitors sensitive to added friction.

As International Investment experts report, Greece’s €20 billion tourism benchmark confirms its global appeal, but the September dip highlights a strategic challenge: future growth will depend less on visitor volumes and more on attracting higher-spending travelers in an environment of tighter border controls.