“The message we are sending to the outside world is that Greece remains a country of stability, a country of safety, and certainly a reliable country, because this is of great importance in times of uncertainty,” emphasized, among other things, Tourism MinisterOlga Kefalogianni, speaking onERTnewsRadio 105.8 about the impact of the war raging in the Middle East on our tourism industry, the country’s “heavy industry.”
“From the very beginning, we have been in constant contact with international players in the tourism market, with tour operators, and with airlines. And the truth is, there is an assessment that this war will affect our competitors, meaning that it could potentially create certain conditions that Greece could take advantage of.
However, we are not at that stage, nor are we close to it, in the sense that for all of us right now, as long as this war lasts, it creates a situation that certainly requires, on our part, a sense of gravity, composure, and confidence in our forces; on the other hand, however, we realize that morale is affected.
I must tell you, however, that because we have the tools and monitor the situation on a weekly basis with the Institute of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, Greece has not actually been affected at this stage by geopolitical developments. And I say this based on the data. We are seeing some cancellations, mainly from Israel, which is due to objective circumstances.
We also know that as soon as—as we all hope—the armed conflict ceases, Israelis will be the first to come to Greece, as they consider Greece a safecountry, ” the minister noted.
“2026 had already started out as an exceptional year for Greek tourism,” she noted.
“I say this based on the feedback we’d already received from the tourism fairs we attended in London at the end of the year in November. In some of our most popular destinations, such as Rhodes, where I was the day before yesterday, and Corfu, the tourist season has already begun; the first flights have already arrived, and we already have our first visitors,” he added.
At this point, it appears, the minister explained, that there was a very large increase, based on the first official data from January and February, before the war broke out, showing that 2026 saw a very large increase compared to 2025, which was already a record year.
“So, what I’m saying is that we had already started with a very large increase. We’ve already opened up to the well-known, popular destinations. I think things are going well right now. But I’ll say it again, we’re always keeping a cool head; of course, we’re monitoring the situation. Right now, there’s no cause for concern. It doesn’t give us any reason to worry.
Moreover, speaking with all domestic and international players in the market, the concern relates to the indirect effects the war may have on tourism—just as it affects the economy in general, so too does it affect tourism. “In other words, how rising fuel prices can affect airfare, and thus indirectly affect tourism,” added Ms. Kefalogianni.
Specifically regarding the economic impact of the war due to rising fuel prices on tourism products, such as transportation tickets or tourism businesses, when asked if the ministry is considering any measures, Ms. Kefalogianni said the following:
“In the first phase, the government is taking measures at the central level anyway. These measures are substantial and absolutely necessary because they address the real needs of society, and obviously the effort does not stop here because the pressures of daily life exist, and we are well aware of them.
It is important, however, that the government is intervening with a plan and consistency, as we have already seen from the announcements made by the Prime Minister himself and the relevant ministries, and with a clear intention to support citizens.
You heard it yesterday from the Prime Minister himself regarding the emergency measures to support citizens; he also highlighted them in the Cabinet because, of course, as the conflict in the Middle East drags on, it continues to create an environment of uncertainty, and that is where the government steps in and takes substantive action, where it can and must intervene.
Here I must also point out to you—I believe this has already been mentioned in the public discourse and within the Cabinet— as both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance—who is also President of the Eurogroup—have pointed out, that if the armed conflict continues, then it will not be enough to take measures solely at the national level. that initiatives must also be taken at the European level.
And you understand why this must be done. We always operate within a framework; just as we say that Greece respects international law, so too do we respect the rules of fiscal stability imposed by Europe, and we do not want to be the country that deviates from these rules. We are, in fact, among the countries that could be at the forefront of pushing for the adoption of rules and measures from Europe.
I think this has value, because at the end of the day, what matters to us is supporting all Greek women and men. And it is good that this is not done solely at the national level, but that we are given the opportunity to achieve this through European decisions as well.”
“Tourism is always a sector that is sensitive and vulnerable to international developments and external factors, which is why constant monitoring and, of course, preparedness are required. Greece, of course, has proven over the past many years that it possesses resilience in the face of crises. We have weathered many crises and emerged stronger, so we have both the knowledge and maturity to handle any situation.
Let’s also not forget that we’re coming off an exceptional year for Greek tourism. 2025 ended as the best year ever, with a remarkable increase in revenue, and I want to emphasize this point because it is the first time we have seen a percentage increase in revenue of around 10%, compared to arrivals, which were around 4%.
So, this shows that we are improving in terms of quality indicators. It shows that we are extending the tourist season; we are no longer just talking about the peak season. We are talking about a very large increase both in the first five months of the year, but especially in the last three months of the year.
Take a look at the statistics.December was up over 50%. So, we’re talking about very, very large increases during the winter months, during the off-peak months. So, Greek tourism has begun to win this major challenge we set from the start: more balanced growth throughout the year and, gradually, across all regions.
I say this because, let’s not forget that aside from the current situation—which is, of course, the geopolitical context I’ll mention next— no matter how much it affects us, there is also the strategy we are following and to which we are committed,” Ms. Kefalogianni explained.