- TOverall figures for 2019–2025: Significant performance in arrivals and revenue, but overnight stays remain at the same level as in 2019 (230 million) due to a decrease in the Average Length of Stay.
- Positive trends: improvement in daily spending as an indicator of the tourism product’s value, reduced seasonality with the second quarter outperforming the third across all three indicators reflecting the tourism product’s value, consolidation of Athens as city break destination, and an increase in the MICEmarket share, and boosting the cruise industry.
- The United Kingdom, Turkey, and the U.S. are driving revenue growth in 2025, while the German market is showing clear signs of fatigue.
- Key factor in resilience market diversification.
- The Average Length of Stayis shrinking: due to an international trend toward shorter trips, rising daily costs, and an increase in the share of day-trippers.
- The gap between touristically developed regions and the rest is widening— The South Aegean and Attica are emerging as high-value destinations.
- Challenges: strengthening of the tourism product, spatial and further temporal expansion of tourism activity, strategic repositioning of mature tourism regions (Crete, Ionian Islands, Central Macedonia) in high-spending markets, targeting long-haul markets, leveraging cruises, boosting demand for coastal shipping.
Inbound tourism (excluding cruises) posted impressive overall results in 2025: 38.0 million arrivals and revenues of 22.6 billion euros, representing increases of +5.6% and +9.8%, respectively, compared to 2024, and +21.2% and +27.9% compared to 2019. However, an analysis of the data presented in the new INSETE study— “Inbound Tourism in Greece 2025 | Developments and Trends Compared to 2024 and 2019”—reveals a more complex picture.
Alongside positive trends, such as an increase in daily spending, a reduction in seasonality, the consolidation of Athens as a city break destination, the diversification of markets, the growth of the U.S. market, and the strengthening of MICE and cruise products, challenges are also noted: the decline in the average length of stay—now at 6.1 nights compared to 7.4 in 2019—which is holding back revenue growth at a rate proportional to that of arrivals, the widening of disparities between tourist-developed and other regions, as well as signs of fatigue in certain markets.
Average Length of Stay: 3 factors driving it down
The sector has achieved significant performance in the 2019–2025 period, reaching 38.0 million visitors in 2025 (excluding cruise arrivals, a 5.6% increase from 2024, +21.2% from 2019) and revenue of €22.6 billion (+9.8%/+27.9%), while including cruises, the total reaches €23.6 billion (+9.4%/30.0%). However, overnight stays have remained at around 230 million since 2019, with the exception of the pandemic years 2020–2022.
The main reason is the ongoing decline in the Average Length of Stay (ALOS), which now stands at 6.1 overnight stays, compared to 7.4 overnight stays before the Covid pandemic (-17.2%). In fact, the ADR declined by a double-digit percentage compared to 2019 in all ten of the country’s largest markets. As a result, it also declined in all regions with the exception of the North Aegean Region and the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace.
The decline in average daily rates (ADR) acts as a brake on revenue growth proportional to arrivals and is a top priority issue to be addressed through product improvement in both tourist-developed and other regions, as well as by attracting long-haul markets that stay longer at their destination.
On the other hand, the Average Daily Rate (ADR), an indicator of the “value” of the tourism product on a daily basis, showed a further increase to €97 and is now 27.5% higher than in 2019—compared to 20% inflation. As a result of the decrease in the ADR and the increase in the ADR, the Average Per Capita Expenditure (APCE) shows a slight increase compared to both 2024 (+3.9%) and 2019 (+5.5%) and now stands at €595, compared to €573 in 2024 and €564 in 2019. However, there are also major markets where the MCP showed a decrease compared to 2019 despite 20% inflation: Germany: -13.5%, Austria: -13.2%, Italy: -10.0%, France: -5.1%, and the Netherlands: -0.9%.
The decline in GDP can be attributed to three complementary trends, such as:
- International trend toward shorter trips,
- Limiting the duration of trips, as daily costs rise, especially at a time when citizens of our main (European) markets are facing financial difficulties.
- An increase in the share of day-trippers —90% of whom come from the four neighboring countries (Albania, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Turkey)—from 7.5% to 9.3%. It is noteworthy, however, that the average daily expenditure (ADE) of day-trippers (94 euros)—that is, daily spending equivalent to the average daily expenditure—is at the same level as the overall average daily expenditure (97 euros), an indication of the strong purchasing power of these visitors, which could be further leveraged during their stay in Greece. In this context, there is a need to enhance the tourism product, particularly for border regions.
A fourth factor falls into a different category and also depresses the MVR for statistical reasons, although on its own it represents a particularly positive development for Greek tourism: the dynamic growth of city break tourism has led to an increase in Attica’s share of total visits from 16.2% in 2019 to 22.3% in 2024 and 23.2% in 2025. Since city breaks are, by their very nature, characterized by shorter stays compared to “sun and sea” tourism, the increase in the share of this type of travel inevitably contributes to a further reduction in the average length of stay at the national level.
The South Aegean and Attica emerge as high-value destinations
At the regional level, the gap between touristically developed and other regions is widening. The five developed regions (Attica, South Aegean, Crete, Central Macedonia, Ionian Islands) account for 90% of revenue.
Attica emerges as the main driver of growth—accounting for 54% of the total increase in revenue in 2025—while the South Aegean records the highest average expenditure per visit nationwide (€869). In contrast, Crete shows a 5% decline in revenue despite an increase in visits, continuing a trend that began in 2024 (-12% vs. 2023). The Ionian Islands show a similar picture (-4.1% in revenue versus a 10% increase in visits). Central Macedonia shows a significant decrease in overnight stays (-8.6% compared to 2024, -30.5% compared to 2019). These data make it imperative for all three Regions to strategically reposition themselves toward high-spending markets through targeted investments to upgrade their product. The Other Regions showed a significant decline in most of their metrics during the 2024–2025 period.
The United Kingdom, Turkey, and the U.S. are driving revenue growth in 2025
The largest market, Germany, is showing signs of fatigue, with the RTR declining steadily (-7.2% compared to 2024 and -13.5% compared to 2019), due to stagnation in the RTR and a decline in the RTRP. Thus, despite a 10.2% increase in arrivals compared to 2024, revenue growth was limited to just 2.2%, and compared to 2019, it stood at 47.8% and 27.9%, respectively.
The largest contribution to the 2.0 billion increase in revenue in 2025 compared to 2024 came from the United Kingdom, with an increase of 582 million, or 28.9% of the total increase, Turkey with +169 million/8.4%, and the U.S. with +153 million/7.6%. These three markets accounted for 44.8% of the total increase in revenue.
Noteworthy is the geographic dispersion of demand—a characteristic that acts as a “safety net” against dependence on a single market—providing Greek tourism with flexibility and resilience.
Broader trends and challenges
The INSETE study also highlights other trends and challenges observed more broadly.
First, there is an increase in the share of business travel from 5% to 7% of the total, driven by a 76% rise between 2019 and 2025. This trend reflects Greece’s gradual establishment as a MICE destination, highlighting the potential for further growth through the creation of a national plan for the development of MICE tourism —as well as live tourism—which will also include the development of an International Convention Center in Athens.
Another trend relates to the growth of the cruise industry, from half a billion euros in revenue in 2019 to one billion euros in 2024 and 2025, likely due to an increase in direct flights from Athens International Airport to the U.S. Improving port commercial infrastructure, combined with the development of tourist experiences and services within the framework of integrated destination management, is essential for increasing spending per disembarkation and stimulating local economies.
Furthermore, there is a further increase in the share of tourists arriving by air, reaching 73.2% in 2025 compared to 66.1% in the pre-Covid era of 2019. In contrast, arrivals by road show a marginal increase (+0.8%) compared to 2019, resulting in their share of arrivals decreasing from 30.6% in 2019 to 25.4% in 2025. Due to the significantly higher Average Expenditure per Night (AEPN) for air travelers (733 euros) compared to road travelers (190 euros), their respective shares of revenue are 90.2% and 8.1%. Noteworthy is the increase in the Average Expenditure per Night (AEPN) of road arrivals between 2019 and 2025 by +55.3%, likely reflecting positive developments in the economies of neighboring countries. Furthermore, since tourists arriving by ferry have high ADN and ADR, the increase in ferry demand will have a positive impact in general and specifically in the regions of Epirus, Western Greece, and the Peloponnese, which have direct connections to Italy.
Another trend observed is the reduction in seasonality, even though it remains very pronounced: The third quarter now accounts for 52.4% of arrivals, 52.9% of overnight stays, and 52.5% of revenue, compared to 56%, 58.5%, and 59.3%, respectively, in 2019. An interesting development is the dominance —and indeed by a significant margin—of the second quarter over the third in all three indicators (ROA, ROE, and ROE), which underscore the value of the tourism product and the importance of tourism growth during this quarter.
The study highlights the resilience of Greek tourism over time and the strength of its brand, even amidst a series of crises and upheavals. At the same time, it is clear that the future is shaped by a combination of factors that require serious monitoring and a coordinated response: geopolitical instability, the need to enhance competitiveness—where issues such as taxation, operating costs, infrastructure, destination management, service quality, and value for money will determine our position in the coming years—investment in human capital and ensuring harmony with local communities, in order to maintain and further strengthen Greece’s position on the international tourism map.