Greece Sees Record-setting Tourism Figures in January 2024

Photo source: Region of Attica

Although January usually tends to be a slower month for travel, Greek tourism seems to have gotten off to a great start with industry insiders referring to “the best January ever” in terms of arrivals and receipts, strengthening estimates that an excellent season will follow.

Some 737.3 thousand foreign visitors entered Greece in January, 16 percent more than the same month last year, according to figures released by the Bank of Greece (BoG).

During the same month, travel receipts jumped 27.1 percent to 278.3 million euros in January, which is attributed both to the 16 percent increase in inbound traveler flows (excluding cruise passengers) and to a 9.7 percent growth of the average expenditure per trip.

January 2024 arrivals

Source: Bank of Greece

Traveler flows through Greek airports in January increased by 11.7 percent compared to the same month in 2023, while arrivals through road border-crossing points rose by 24.8 percent.

According to the Bank of Greece, the increase was due to higher traveler flows from both within the EU27 (up by 24.9 percent) and outside the EU27 (up by 8.3 percent).

In greater detail, travelers from within the euro area rose by 21.2 percent to 254.7 thousand, while travelers from non-euro area EU27 countries increased by 34.4 percent to 112.8 thousand.

More French and American tourists come to Greece

With regard to Greece’s main source markets, the number of travelers from Germany rose by 8.6 percent to 70.2 thousand and the number of travelers from France increased by 35.4 percent to 42.6 thousand.

Turning to non-EU27 countries, the number of travelers from the United Kingdom dropped by 39.2 percent to 36.2 thousand, while travelers from the United States increased by 260.2 percent to 54.6 thousand.

January 2024 travel receipts

Greece’s travel receipts in January rose by 27.1 percent year-on-year to 278.3 million euros.

Source: Bank of Greece

Broken down, receipts from residents of the EU27 increased by 63.3 percent to 149.0 million euros and receipts from outside the EU27 grew by 1.0 percent (January 2024: 126.5 million euros, January 2023: 125.2 million euros).

The rise in receipts from within the EU27 was driven by increases in receipts from euro area residents by 49.6 percent (January 2024: 115.5 million euros, January 2023: 77.2 million euros) and in receipts from residents of non-euro area EU27 countries by 138.8 percent to 33.5 million euros.

Travel receipts of French and Americans rise, Germans spend the most

Looking at travel receipts by country, the biggest percentage increase came from France with 83 percent, followed by receipts from the US (up by 63.6 percent), Germany (+34.7 percent) and the United Kingdom (+8.1 percent).

However, the Germans still remained in the lead as top spenders as Greece saw revenues from the country at 29 million euros. Travel receipts from Americans came to 23.1 million while revenue from both French and British tourists reached some 20 million euros each.

According to BoG, no travelers and therefore no receipts were recorded from Russia to Greece in January.

Another encouraging fact January’s data brought to Greek tourism is the fact that – in addition to the increase in incoming travelers and receipts – the average expenditure per trip also moved upwards, halting last year’s downward trend, also due to the pressures of inflation.

More, specifically, in the first month of 2024, the average expenditure per trip of non-residents in Greece stood at 373.7, recording an increase of 9.7 percent compared to the same month last year.