Number of Turkish Travelers Visiting Greece Soars in 2023

The number of Turkish travelers visiting Greece in 2023 skyrocketed increasing by 90 percent over 2022 to 877,000 up from 478,000.

At the same time, Turkey was the third most popular destination for Greek holidaymakers with some 686,000 visiting the neighboring country last year marking a 20 percent rise over 2022 and 570,000 arrivals.

Turkey’s Consul General in Thessaloniki Serkan Gedik presented the data during a workshop held in the northern port city aimed at boosting tourism cooperation between the two countries. The event was organized by the Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) and the country’s Greece-based culture and tourism office.

Leading the way in demand, according to Gedik, was Northern Greece thanks to its proximity with Turkey. He went on suggest the promotion of lesser-known destinations rather than far-reaching campaigns. “Turkey is so much more than Istanbul and Greece is much more than Athens, Thessaloniki, and the Greek islands,” said Gedik.

In addition to Thessaloniki, the workshop was also held in Athens with the support of Turkish Airlines, the  Federation of Hellenic Associations of Tourist & Travel Agencies (fedHATTA), the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (HATTA), and the Macedonia-Thrace Travel Agents Association (MTTAA).

As part of efforts to increase tourist flows between the two countries, Greece reinstated a seven-day, fast-track visa program for Turkish nationals which grants immediate access to 10 Greek islands all year round.