Angeliki Tzifa, deputy head of the GNTO UK & Ireland office; Marc James, head of Destination Partnerships at British Airways; Eleni Skarveli, head of the GNTO UK & Ireland office; and Tracey Poggio, head of Visit Gibraltar UK. Photo source: GNTO
Travel demand from the UK to Greece remains steady despite ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, with the country ranking as the second most popular short-haul destination for British Airways Holidays, the airline’s UK-based tour operator arm, after Spain.
The data was presented during the “Destination Partnership Day” of the subsidiary of British Airways held at the airline’s headquarters at London Heathrow on March 12, where tourism stakeholders were briefed on market trends and strategic priorities.
According to insights shared during the event, the Middle East crisis has so far had limited impact on the UK outbound travel market. However, it is expected to lead to a rise in ultra last-minute bookings, as travelers adopt a more cautious approach amid ongoing uncertainty.
Strong Performance for Greece in BA Network
GNTO UK & Ireland office head Eleni Skarveli (right) with British Airways Holidays senior destination manager Fatima Hawkins. Photo source: GNTO
According to data, Greece recorded a strong performance across the British Airways network in 2025, with passenger traffic increasing by 13.1 percent compared to 2024. During the January 2026 sales period, the country also posted a 5 percent rise in both revenue and booking volume, with most Greek islands showing positive year-on-year growth.
British Airways Holidays continues to see solid demand for Greece, particularly among travelers booking higher-value packages, with the average holiday costing around £3,000.
British Airways operates year-round flights to Athens while air connectivity between the UK and Greece has also expanded.
During the summer 2025 season, British Airways operated up to 148 weekly flights from London Heathrow, Gatwick and London City to 14 Greek destinations, offering approximately 751,000 seats, up from 671,000 in summer 2024.
Industry Outlook and Market Trends
Greek representatives used the event to promote the country’s tourism priorities and strengthen ties with key stakeholders in the UK travel industry, supporting travel flows from the United Kingdom to Greece.
Greece was represented by Eleni Skarveli, head of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) office for the UK and Ireland, and deputy head Angeliki Tzifa.
During the event, senior British Airways executives presented updates on sustainability, commercial strategy, marketing, operations and business planning, offering industry partners insights into the airline’s priorities and market outlook. Representatives from VisitBritain also shared the latest trends in the UK travel market and outlined the organization’s international tourism promotion efforts.
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