Published on
December 27, 2025
Germany, alongside the United Kingdom, is driving a record surge in tourist arrivals to Greece in 2025, with Athens and Thessaloniki leading the way in air traffic growth. This influx reflects the growing appeal of Greece as a top travel destination, fueled by strong connections from key European markets, and boosted by improved flight schedules and competitive airline offerings. As Greece continues to shine as a major hub for international tourism, these cities are set to play pivotal roles in sustaining the upward trend in visitation throughout the year.
In the first quarter of 2025, international air arrivals reached a total of 1.7 million, representing a 4.8% increase from the same period in 2024. This is a rise of 76,000 more visitors compared to last year. In January, the number of arrivals was recorded at 529,000, marking an increase of 9.1%. February saw 487,000 arrivals, which was up by 5.5%, and March registered 663,000 arrivals, a modest 1.1% rise.
The second quarter of 2025 was a strong period for international travel, with a total of 8.6 million international arrivals, which was an increase of 480,000 visitors or 5.9% compared to the previous year. In April, international arrivals reached 1.6 million, which was a rise of 8.4%. May brought in 3.0 million arrivals, reflecting a 5.3% growth, and June recorded 4.0 million arrivals, showing a 5.4% increase.
During the third quarter, international arrivals surged to 13.5 million, a 5.3% rise, or an increase of 680,000 visitors compared to 2024. July saw 4.9 million visitors, a 4.6% rise, while August recorded 4.8 million arrivals, marking an increase of 6.2%. In September, 3.9 million international arrivals were recorded, which was a 5.1% rise compared to the previous year.
The fourth quarter began with an impressive increase in October, as international arrivals reached 2.5 million, an increase of 6.6%, or 151,000 more visitors than October 2024. November saw 696,000 arrivals, marking a 13.7% increase, or 84,000 more visitors than the previous year.
From January to November 2025, Athens International Airport reported a total of 8.2 million international arrivals, a 9.4% increase with 706,000 more visitors compared to 2024. Thessaloniki recorded 2.5 million arrivals, reflecting a 10.5% rise with 238,000 additional visitors.
In terms of island destinations, Rhodes saw 3.1 million visitors, a modest 2.2% increase, while Kos recorded 1.4 million arrivals, an increase of 3.6%. On the other hand, Karpathos experienced a decline, with a 7.9% drop in arrivals, totaling 91,000 visitors. Heraklion welcomed 4.0 million visitors, which was a 6.1% increase, and Chania registered 1.6 million arrivals, a 3.3% rise.
Corfu, one of the most popular destinations, saw 2.1 million international arrivals, a 6.1% increase. Zakynthos recorded 1.1 million visitors, reflecting a 3.2% rise. Kefalonia, with 377,000 arrivals, saw a 1.5% increase, while Aktio recorded 423,000 visitors, marking a 6.8% rise. Mykonos had 534,000 arrivals, a 2.1% increase, but Santorini saw a decrease of 13.6%, losing 103,000 visitors.
In terms of regional performance, Crete remained the dominant destination, with 5.6 million visitors, reflecting a 5.3% increase of 284,000 more arrivals. The Dodecanese islands followed with 4.5 million arrivals, a 2.4% increase, while the Ionian Islands received 4.0 million visitors, a 4.9% increase. The Peloponnese region saw an increase of 10.7%, welcoming 255,000 visitors. However, the Cyclades islands were the only region to experience a decline, with 1.2 million arrivals, a 7.2% decrease compared to 2024.
During the period from January to November 2025, domestic air arrivals reached 9.3 million, reflecting a 2.0% increase, or 1.83 million more visitors compared to the same period in 2024.
Athens saw 4.6 million domestic arrivals, a 1.8% increase, while Thessaloniki welcomed 1.2 million domestic visitors, marking a 3.6% rise. Heraklion saw 856,000 visitors, which was an impressive 10.2% increase, and Chania recorded 450,000 domestic arrivals, a 9.9% rise. Rhodes registered 441,000 visitors, a 5.4% increase, while Kos recorded 161,000 visitors, a rise of 8.0%.
Santorini experienced a decrease of 18.7% in domestic arrivals, with 508,000 visitors, while Mykonos saw a 9.6% drop, totaling 234,000 arrivals. The Cyclades, as a whole, recorded a 13.0% decrease in domestic arrivals.
Inbound travel traffic between January and October 2025 reached 35.261 million travelers, marking an increase of 4.4% compared to 2024. Travel from the EU-27 countries totaled 21.011 million travelers, a 1.4% rise, while travel from other countries surged by 9.1%, totaling 14.250 million travelers.
Travel receipts also saw positive growth in the first ten months of 2025. The total travel receipts amounted to €20,947 million, a 4.9% increase compared to €19,968 million during the same period in 2024. Receipts from the EU-27 countries reached €11.751 billion, a 1.5% increase, with receipts from eurozone countries totaling €9.164 billion, marking a 5.6% rise. However, receipts from non-eurozone EU countries saw a decrease of 10.4%, totaling €2.587 billion.
Revenue from non-EU countries amounted to €9.196 billion, representing a significant increase of 9.7%. Among the non-EU markets, revenue from Germany rose by 5.5%, totaling €3.62 billion, while France saw a decrease of 7.3%, bringing in €1.26 billion. Italy, however, saw a 6.6% rise in revenue, generating €1.25 billion.
Revenue from the United Kingdom increased by 4.5%, totaling €3.15 billion, and the United States saw a growth of 2.8%, bringing in €1.56 billion. This data reflects the continued strength of international tourism and travel receipts, as foreign visitors contribute significantly to the economy.
Germany and the United Kingdom are fueling record tourist arrivals to Greece in 2025, with Athens and Thessaloniki at the forefront of air traffic growth due to enhanced flight connections and growing demand from key European markets.
the period from January to November 2025 showed consistent growth across both international and domestic arrivals. Popular tourist destinations, particularly islands and key cities, continue to attract millions of visitors. The overall increase in travel receipts, driven by markets like Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States, underscores the significant economic impact of the tourism industry. Despite challenges, the sector remains resilient, with optimistic prospects for the remainder of the year.
