Greek tourism is recording different speeds in the first five months of 2026, as the rise in international air arrivals is not distributed evenly across the map of destinations. Crete and the Ionian Islands show strong momentum, at a time when Athens and the Aegean islands are recording mixed signs.
According to data from the Institute of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (INSETE), international air arrivals in the period January - May amounted to approximately 6.6 million, recording an increase of 5% compared to the corresponding period of 2025.
May, the month during which the tourist season essentially begins, gave an additional boost to the market, with international arrivals strengthening by 3.4% on an annual basis, despite the geopolitical tension in the Middle East.
The winners
Crete emerged as the major protagonist of the five-month period, recording the largest increase among the country's main tourist regions. The airports of Heraklion and Chania recorded a strong increase in international arrivals of 11.3% and 20.9% respectively and welcomed a total of 1.15 million international travelers, confirming the island's momentum as one of the most important destinations in the Mediterranean.
The picture was particularly positive in May, when Crete further strengthened its position, with the island's two major airports recording a significant increase in arrivals of 12.3%. Heraklion posted a rise of 10%, while Chania showed an increase of 18% on an annual basis.
The Ionian Islands also moved on an upward trajectory, where international air arrivals in the five-month period reached 603 thousand, increased by 55 thousand or 10.1%. The region benefits from the strong presence of the British market, which remains one of the most important pools of visitors for the Ionian, but also from the expansion of air connections.
As for the individual destinations, Corfu is the main pillar of the region. Ioannis Kapodistrias Airport recorded an increase in international arrivals of more than 12% in the five-month period.
Zakynthos also moved upward, with international air arrivals strengthening by 10.6%, confirming the destination's momentum, which relies to a large extent on the markets of Northern Europe. On the contrary, Kefalonia moved in a stabilizing manner, with a marginal decline of 0.8%, while Aktio recorded an increase of 5.8%.
The overall picture shows that the Ionian Islands are gaining ground, capitalizing on strong air connections with European markets.
A significant change is also being recorded in the Cyclades, where the picture is shaped by two different trends. Overall, the islands of the Cyclades recorded an annual increase of 6.8%. In particular, Mykonos showed a strong recovery, with international arrivals increasing by 19.4% in the first five months, while, on the contrary, Santorini moved essentially at the same levels as last year, with a change of -0.2%.
Among the destinations that maintained a positive sign were also Samos (24.5%), Skiathos (11.6%) and Mytilene (14.6%).
The losers
In the Dodecanese, the picture is more mixed. Rhodes recorded an increase in international air arrivals of 1.6%, maintaining the high volume of traffic, but without the high growth rates of other regions. Kos, on the other hand, moved downward, with arrivals decreasing by 4.5% in the five-month period.
From this cluster, Karpathos is the one that is “saved”, with a double-digit annual increase of 21.8%.
Urban centers
Beyond the island clusters, Athens continues to be the country's largest gateway, with international air arrivals increasing by 2.2% in the first five months. The capital's growth is moving lower than some regional destinations, however Athens maintains its strategic importance due to the large volume of visitors and international connections.
A similar picture with different speeds is also recorded in Thessaloniki, where international arrivals increased by 4.2%, while Kalamata showed a strong rise of 19.4%, strengthening its position on the map of regional airports.
