ECTAA: Greek Tourism Achieves Record-breaking Year, Focusing on Sustainable Growth

Greece’s tourism sector marks an extraordinary milestone in 2023, demonstrating a robust resurgence to pre-pandemic levels and signalling a prosperous trajectory for the nation’s tourism industry, according to the European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Associations (ECTAA).

Citing recent data, the association said this year stands as a testament to Greece’s resilience and commitment to sustainable growth, following the success of an already impressive 2022.

With 27.8 million arrivals in 2022, the year witnessed a strong comeback for Greek tourism.

Notably, the January-October period of 2023 showcased a further increase, recording 23 million international air arrivals—an exceptional 10 percent surge compared to 2022. Moreover, the sector’s financial impact underscores this success, with tourism revenue for the country expected to reach 20 billion euros, outperforming pre-COVID figures (18.17 billion euros in record-breaking 2019).

“In 2023, Greece was the preferred destination of European travel agents and tour operators and proved to be the one preferred by European travellers too,” says ECTAA Secretary General Eric Dresin, adding that the association is “proud” to have contributed to this “milestone year” in Greek tourism history.

Greece commits to sustainable destination practices

Photo source: ECTAA

However, ECTAA points out that despite triumphs, challenges have emerged, including the adverse effects of prolonged heatwaves, major wildfires, and floods in different regions throughout July and September. Additionally, the escalating average annual temperature poses a potential long-term impact on tourism.

To address these concerns, the commitment of Greek authorities and industry stakeholders to invest in sustainable destination practices becomes paramount, the association notes. Collaborative efforts showcased during the series of roundtables co-organized by ECTAA and the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) in 2023 underscore the industry’s willingness to embrace change and navigate sustainable growth.

According to ECTAA, in response to these challenges, Greece has enriched its tourism offerings, extending the traditional tourism season beyond conventional boundaries to cater to evolving preferences for milder temperatures.

“As a year-round destination, Greece not only promises success but also reinforces the resilience of the tourism sector,” ECTAA says.

ECTAA represents some 80,000 travel agents and tour operators in Europe, which provide consultancy and sell transport, accommodation, leisure and other tourism services as well as combined products to leisure and business customers.