Greece is riding the global tourism rebound wave, reporting a 7.6% jump in passenger traffic at Athens International Airport in the first half of 2025. The Mediterranean nation joins other key markets like France, India, and the United States in witnessing a robust post-pandemic travel resurgence. France, for instance, welcomed a record 100 million foreign visitors in 2024 , while India saw outbound travel reach new highs and the U.S. maintained its lead as the world’s largest travel market. Greece’s strong performance underscores its resilient tourist appeal and ongoing expansion of air connectivity and infrastructure.
TL;DR - Greece’s Tourism Boom 2025
- Athens Airport passenger traffic up 7.6% in H1 2025
- 2024 set record: 36M visitors, €12.1B+ revenue, momentum continues in 2025
- U.S. spending soared +25%, 103 weekly U.S.–Greece flights in summer
- India and China routes expanding, more global connectivity ahead
- Sustainability measures: Acropolis visitor cap, cruise fees, off-peak promotion
Jump to: Strong Recovery • Key Markets • Investing • Greece vs. European Peers • Managing Overtourism • Tourism Rebound • FAQ
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Strong Recovery in Athens and Nationwide Tourism
Athens International Airport (AIA), Greece’s main gateway, handled 15.1 million passengers in H1 2025, up 7.6% from the same period in 2024. Notably, international passenger traffic surged 9.8% year-on-year, far outpacing a modest 2.2% rise in domestic travelers. This trend reflects Greece’s attractiveness to overseas visitors and the broader pattern of international travel driving growth across Europe’s airports.
In fact, European airport passenger volumes overall were about 4.5% higher in early 2025 than the previous year, with demand now slightly above 2019 pre-pandemic levels.
Greece’s tourism boom is not limited to Athens. The country celebrated a record-breaking 2024, hosting around 36 million visitors (10% more than 2023 and well above the 32 million in 2019). Early data for 2025 show the momentum continuing: from January through August, international air arrivals reached 19.9 million, up 5.6% compared to the same period of 2024.
Tourism revenue has climbed accordingly, rising 12.5% year-on-year in the first seven months of 2025 to over €12.1 billion. Both European and long-haul markets contributed to this growth, highlighting Greece’s broad appeal.
Key Markets Driving Inbound Travel Growth
European travelers remain the bedrock of Greek tourism, but intercontinental markets are playing a growing role in the recovery. According to the Greek Tourism Confederation’s data, receipts from EU visitors jumped 13.8% (to €6.7 billion) in the first part of 2025, while non-EU visitor spending rose 9.5% (to €4.8 billion).
Within Europe, Germany is the largest source market, with tourist spending up 16.6% to €2.03 billion, followed by France (+15.6% to €769 million) and Italy (+4.9% to €633 million). Long-haul visitors have been especially dynamic: the United States stands out with American travelers’ expenditure in Greece soaring 25.3% to nearly €954 million. By contrast, the UK – traditionally a big market for Greece – saw a slight dip in spending (–2.9%), indicating some shifts in travel patterns.
The surge from North America is reflected in unprecedented air connectivity between the U.S. and Greece. During the 2025 summer peak, airlines operated 103 direct flights per week between the U.S. and Greece – more than double the number five years ago.
These flights now link Athens with nine U.S. cities, including new or expanded routes like Los Angeles, Charlotte, and increased frequencies from New York, Atlanta, and Newark. U.S. carriers have also extended their Greece flight schedules beyond the summer, nearly turning Athens into a year-round destination for American travelers. This expanded capacity has fueled the record influx of U.S. tourists and indicates strong confidence in Greece’s tourism draw.
Other emerging markets are also contributing. Travel links with India are set to deepen, with major carriers planning new direct routes from Delhi and Mumbai by early 2026. Likewise, Greece has courted travelers from China and the Middle East, and direct flights from China to Athens have multiplied compared to pre-pandemic times. These developments position Greece to diversify its tourism base further, tapping into growing travel demand from Asia and beyond.
Investing in Infrastructure and Airline Capacity
To sustain this growth, Greece is ramping up its transportation infrastructure and airline capacity. Athens International Airport has launched an ambitious expansion program to boost its throughput and enhance services. Construction is underway on a new multi-story parking garage (adding over 3,300 parking spots) and a northwestern aircraft apron that will provide 32 additional parking stands for planes.
In parallel, plans to expand the main terminal and satellite terminal are progressing, with design phases near completion and tenders in motion. These upgrades will increase airport capacity and improve the passenger experience, ensuring Athens can handle rising traffic in the years ahead.
Other airports and ports across Greece are also being upgraded. In recent years, 14 regional airports (from Thessaloniki to popular islands) were modernized, and further major revamps are planned to accommodate growing arrivals. The national carrier Aegean Airlines and other airlines have been adding routes and flights: Aegean carried a record 9.5 million international passengers in 2023 and continues expanding its network.
New entrants like Norse Atlantic Airways now connect Athens to Los Angeles and New York with direct flights, while American, Delta, United, Emirates and others have all increased frequency or extended seasonal routes. This coordinated push in connectivity and infrastructure is enabling Greece to capitalize on the travel rebound and spread visitor flows more evenly.
Greece vs. European Peers
Greece’s travel recovery has put it among the top performers in Europe. ACI Europe data show Athens’ 7.6% passenger growth in H1 2025 far exceeded the European average of +4.5%, and even outpaced major markets like France (+3.6%), the UK (+2.3%) and Germany (+2.3%) in the same period. Southern European destinations in general have led the comeback – airports in Italy saw passenger traffic rise 5.7% and those in Spain 4.5% in early 2025 , buoyed by summer holiday demand. In contrast, some Northern European hubs grew more slowly.
Overall, Europe’s airports have bounced back to about 5% above 2019 volumes in the first half of 2025 , a remarkable turnaround from the COVID-19 slump. Within this context, Greece’s double-digit surge in international passengers stands out and underlines its status as one of the region’s tourism success stories.
By some measures, Greece’s tourism has recovered faster than peers. For example, Athens Airport’s traffic already eclipsed pre-pandemic records as of 2023. In September 2023, AIA handled 3 million passengers in a single month – 11.8% more than in September 2019.
The country’s quick rebound can be attributed to its popularity as a leisure destination, effective marketing, and the pent-up demand from travelers worldwide to experience Greece’s culture and islands. While Spain and France attract higher absolute numbers of visitors, Greece’s growth rate and agility in expanding air links (like partnering with Gulf carriers or fast-tracking U.S. routes) have given it a competitive edge during the recovery phase.
Managing Overtourism and Sustainability Challenges
With success, however, come challenges. The surge in visitors has raised concerns about overtourism and environmental sustainability in Greece’s hotspots. Authorities are proactively addressing these issues to ensure long-term viability of the tourism sector. New measures rolled out recently include:
- Acropolis Visitor Cap: Since late 2023, Greece has imposed a daily limit of 20,000 visitors at the Acropolis in Athens, coupled with mandatory time-slot pre-booking, to prevent overcrowding at the ancient monument.
- Cruise Passenger Fees: Starting in 2025, popular islands like Santorini and Mykonos are charging higher fees (up to €20 per cruise visitor). The proceeds are earmarked for local infrastructure upgrades and climate resiliency projects to offset the pressure of large tourist volumes.
- Promoting Lesser-Known Destinations: The tourism ministry is actively encouraging travel to off-the-beaten-path regions – such as Pelion, Evia, or the Zagori villages – to spread visitor traffic beyond the usual crowded islands. This also helps these rural areas benefit economically from tourism.
- Extending the Season: Efforts are underway to expand Greece’s tourist season into spring and fall, and even winter city-break tourism, reducing the strain on resources during the peak summer months.
At the same time, the Greek government and industry stakeholders are investing in sustainability and infrastructure to support this growth responsibly. There are initiatives for greener public transport, renewable energy use, and water conservation in heavily touristed areas.
For example, islands like Rhodes and Crete have started implementing energy-efficient systems and waste management improvements to handle increased demand without degrading the environment. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has emphasized that modernizing infrastructure (airports, ports, roads) and building climate resilience is crucial as tourism contributes around 13% of Greece’s GDP. Hotel associations and tourism operators largely support these moves, recognizing that unmanaged overcrowding could undermine Greece’s appeal in the long run.
Tourism Rebound
Greece’s strong 2025 tourism performance illustrates how a destination can bounce back from the pandemic downturn by seizing on pent-up demand, expanding connectivity, and adapting with sustainable practices. Industry analysts note that the fundamental drivers of travel to Greece – its rich history, islands, gastronomy, and hospitality – remain as compelling as ever.
As global tourism heads for full recovery (1.4 billion international trips were recorded in 2024, virtually reaching 2019 levels ), Greece has positioned itself as a prime beneficiary of the upswing. The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) even projects that worldwide international visitor spending will rise above pre-pandemic levels by about 8.6% in 2025 , and Greece is on track to capture its share of that growth.
Crucially, Greece’s experience offers a case study for other destinations: by investing in infrastructure, widening its airline partnerships, and taking steps to protect cultural and natural assets, it has managed to not only recover but set new records.
The resilience and proactive planning demonstrated in Athens and across the Greek tourism sector serve as a benchmark as countries around the world strive to regain and surpass their pre-pandemic tourism figures. Greece’s message is clear – the travel rebound is here, and with careful management, it can be harnessed into sustainable success.
FAQ
How many tourists visited Greece in 2024?
About 36 million, 10% more than 2023.
What was Athens Airport’s growth in 2025?
Passenger traffic rose 7.6% in H1 2025 to 15.1 million travelers.
Which markets drove Greece’s growth?
Germany, France, Italy, and especially the U.S. with +25% spending.
What new air routes are planned?
Expanded U.S. connectivity, plus new direct India routes by 2026 and more China flights.
How is Greece managing overtourism?
Visitor caps at the Acropolis, cruise passenger fees, and promotion of lesser-known destinations.
Sources:
- Athens International Airport posts strong traffic growth in H1 2025 - TravelDailyNews (reports 15.1 million passengers, +7.6%)
- Summer Travel Boom: 9 US Cities Get Direct Flights to Greece - GreekReporter (discusses 103 weekly direct U.S.–Greece flights)
- Greece to Cap Acropolis Tourists to 20,000 a Day - Business Insider (visitor cap aimed at mitigating overtourism)