Page last updated: 20 January 2025
Greece, a country known for its rich history, fascinating mythology, and stunning landscapes, is a popular tourist destination. Contributing about 5-10% of GDP, the tourism industry plays a crucial role in Greece’s economy.
How many tourists visit Greece each year?
Over 30 million tourists travel to Greece each year (before and after the pandemic).1
- In 2019, Greece welcomed 31.35 million international visitors.
- Visitor numbers plummeted to 7.37 million in 2020 due to travel restrictions surrounding COVID-19.
- Despite global travel restrictions, Greece saw its tourism sector begin to recover by 2021 and 2022, with 14.71 million and 27.84 million international visitors, respectively.
- In 2023, Greece welcomed 32.74 million international arrivals. This was an increase of 342% compared to 2020 but still 4% less than 2019 (pre-pandemic).
How many people visited Greece in 2024?
Over 147.85 million nights were spent at tourist accommodations in Greece from January to October 2024.
This included both domestic and international visitors, with data for November and December not yet available.
- Domestic visitors accounted for 22.05 million nights, representing 14.9% of the total.
- International visitors contributed 125.79 million nights, making up 85.1% of the total.
Monthly Nights Spent at Tourist Accommodation Establishments in Greece (2024)
| MONTH | DOMESTIC | INTERNATIONAL | COMBINED |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1,035,511 | 578,293 | 1,613,804 |
| Feb | 1,013,823 | 663,862 | 1,677,685 |
| Mar | 1,455,129 | 1,187,235 | 2,642,364 |
| Apr | 1,788,483 | 4,970,867 | 6,759,350 |
| May | 1,541,106 | 13,471,181 | 15,012,287 |
| Jun | 2,448,915 | 20,679,926 | 23,128,841 |
| Jul | 3,762,978 | 26,546,567 | 30,309,545 |
| Aug | 5,295,660 | 27,514,359 | 32,810,019 |
| Sep | 2,246,848 | 20,724,703 | 22,971,551 |
| Oct | 1,463,138 | 9,457,527 | 10,920,665 |
| Nov | not available yet | not available yet | not available yet |
| Dec | not available yet | not available yet | not available yet |
| YTD TOTAL | 22,051,591 | 125,794,520 | 147,846,111 |
Note: These figures represent overnight stays at tourist accommodation establishments in Greece, not individual visitor counts.
How many people visited Greece in 2023?
Over 32.7 million tourists visited Greece in 2023.
- This represented an increase of 17.6% compared to 2022, which recorded 27.8 million visitors.
- When compared to the pre-pandemic peak of 31.3 million tourists in 2019, this showed a 4.5% growth over the last four years.
How many people visited Greece in 2022?
- Greece welcomed 27.84 million international visitors in 2022. This was an increase of 277% compared to 2020 (during the pandemic), but still 18% less than 2019 (pre-pandemic).
How much do people spend in Greece each year?
Visitors to Greece spent approximately $22.3 billion in 2023.2
- Before the pandemic, in 2019, Greece earned $23 billion from tourism.
- Tourist receipts dropped to $5 billion in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The following year, 2021, saw a recovery, with revenue climbing back to $12.4 billion.
- The growth continued, reaching $18.1 billion in 2022 and increased further to $22.3 billion in 2023.
How much did people spend in Greece in 2023?
Tourists spent approximately $22.3 billion in Greece in 2023.
- This marked an increase of 23.2% compared to the $18.1 billion spent in 2022.
- Compared to 2019, which saw the highest pre-pandemic spending of $20.3 billion, the 2023 figure represented a 9.9% growth in total expenditure.
How much did people spend in Greece in 2022?
- International tourists spent $18.1 billion in Greece in 2022.
Where do visitors to Greece come from?
- In 2019, the majority of tourists visiting Greece were from Germany, recording 4 million visits. Bulgaria closely trailed behind with 3.9 million visits. The United Kingdom, Italy, and France made up the rest of the top five with 3.5 million, 1.6 million, and 1.5 million visits, respectively.
- By 2022, the United Kingdom topped the list with nearly 4.5 million visitors. This number surpassed the figures from 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. The second largest group of tourists came from Germany, with around 4.4 million arrivals.3
Impact of Coronavirus – Greece Tourism Statistics 2020 and 2021
Tourism is one of the major contributors to the Greek economy.
- Greece saw tourism GVA drop 44.8% to $5 billion in 2020 which contributed 4.4% to the national economy.4
- The global pandemic severely affected Greece’s tourism industry, with only 7.4 million visitors in 2020, a 76.48% decrease compared with 2019.
- However, a slight recovery in tourism was observed in 2021. The numbers rose to over 14.7 million international visitors, which was a 99.42% increase from the previous year, yet still down 53.09% from 2019.
Greece Travel Statistics 2019 – International and Domestic Tourism
2019 was an amazing year for tourism in Greece with large shares of international and domestic tourists.
- In 2019, Greece welcomed over 31.35 million international visitors, contributing approximately $23 billion to the total tourism expenditure in the country.
- Most of the tourists that visited Greece that year were from Germany (4 million visits) and Bulgaria (3.9 million visits). Followed by the United Kingdom (3.5 million visits), Italy (1.6 million visits), and France (1.5 million visits).
- In 2019, there were 27.9 million total domestic arrivals, 5.2 million of which were overnight stays and 22.79 million were trips.5
How long do people stay in Greece?
Over the past decade, tourists visiting Greece stayed for an average of one week to nine nights.
- In 2010, the average stay was 9.3 nights, gradually decreasing each year to reach 7.4 nights by 2019.
- In 2020 and 2021, there was a slight increase in the length of stay, with visitors staying an average of 8.7 nights and 8.9 nights, respectively.
- However, by 2022, this figure decreased to 7.8 nights.
Greece Travel Resources
When is the best time to visit Greece?
- The best time to visit Greece is during Spring, April to June, and early Fall, September and October. The days are long and the weather is mild. Destinations are open but relatively quiet.6
What are the top attractions to visit in Greece?
- Athens: The city attracts approximately 6 million visitors annually, with the Acropolis and Parthenon being primary highlights. This includes both international and domestic tourists.
- Santorini: The island welcomes around 2 million visitors each year, with the summer months being the peak season. This figure reflects the island’s popularity for its unique landscapes and romantic appeal.
- Thessaloniki: Thessaloniki receives approximately 1.5 million visitors annually, drawn to its cultural and historical attractions, including UNESCO-listed sites.
- Corfu: Corfu sees about 1.1 million visitors per year, with its Venetian-inspired architecture and UNESCO-designated Corfu Town being major draws.
- Crete: Crete is Greece’s most-visited island, with an estimated 5 million visitors annually, attracted by its historical sites like Knossos, natural beauty such as Samaria Gorge, and scenic beaches.
What are the main reasons people visit Greece?
- Greece captivates many visitors with its rich history, rich islands, and pleasant climate, making it a popular holiday destination. This is evident from the increase in holidaymakers, from 3.6 million in 2020 to 4.9 million in 2022.7
- Another common reason people visit Greece is to see friends and relatives. Although this saw a drop from 1.4 million visits in 2019 to around 789,078 visits in 2020, the numbers rebounded, reaching approximately 1.3 million visits in 2022.
- Business-related visits to Greece also contribute to the tourism figures. While business visits dipped from 391,724 in 2019 to 163,750 in 2020, they recovered somewhat to 276,632 in 2022.
- Visits due to other personal reasons noted a minor decline from 322,339 visits in 2019 to 230,339 in 2020, only to bounce back to approximately 355,297 visits in 2022.
Greece Outbound Tourism Statistics for 2019
In 2019, approximately 7.8 million Greece residents travelled abroad, spending approximately $3.1 billion on their overseas holidays.8
- Germany, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Italy, and Cyprus, in particular, seem to hold a place in the hearts of the Greeks.
Greece Travel Statistics Resources
Other Travel Statistics Resources (Newly Published and Updated)
- Auckland Statistics
- Barcelona Statistics
- Bondi Beach Statistics (AU)
- Byron Bay Statistics (AU)
- Denmark Statistics
- Dubai Statistics
- France Statistics
- Japan Statistics
- Las Vegas Statistics
- London Statistics
- Lousiana Statistics
- Masachussetts Statistics
- Memphis Statistics
- Mount Rushmore Statistics
- Nashville Statistics
- Oahu Statistics
- Portugal Statistics
- San Diego Statistics
- South Dakota Statistics
- Switzerland Statistics
- Tennessee Statistics
- Warner Bros. Movie World Statistics (AU)
References
- UNWTO: Greece Inbound Tourism Arrivals ↩︎
- UNWTO: Greece Inbound Tourism Receipts ↩︎
- INSETE: Inbound Tourism Statistics ↩︎
- OECD: Tourism Trends and Policies – Greece ↩︎
- UNWTO: Tourism Statistics Database ↩︎
- AT: When is the best time to visit Greece ↩︎
- EuroStats: Trips by Purpose – Greece ↩︎
- UNWTO: Outbound Tourism Statistics – Greece ↩︎
