ATHENS, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Greece's tourism sector is projected to maintain its strong growth in 2025, with international arrivals expected to increase by 5 percent compared to 2024, the state-run news agency AMNA reported on Sunday.
The forecast, published by the National Bank of Greece, is based on trends observed during the first four months of 2025 and robust forward bookings in the hotel sector for the coming months.
Greece welcomed 35.9 million visitors in 2024, generating 21.7 billion euros (24.7 billion U.S. dollars) in revenue. This marked an increase from 2023, when the country recorded 32.7 million arrivals and 20.6 billion euros in tourism income, according to data from the Bank of Greece.
Despite a challenging global landscape marked by geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty, Greek tourism has demonstrated resilience and consistent growth, exceeding pre-pandemic levels in recent years, according to officials and industry experts.
The country's long-term tourism strategy is increasingly targeting long-haul markets. Travelers from these markets typically stay longer, travel outside the peak season, and spend more, the report noted.
Experts added that the expansion of both direct and indirect air connections is expected to further boost Greece's attractiveness to long-haul visitors.
Tourism contributes approximately 13 percent to Greece's gross domestic product. (1 euro = 1.14 U.S. dollar)
