Greece has posted record tourism revenue in the first six months of 2025, driven largely by British and American travellers, according to new data from the Bank of Greece.
Tourism receipts reached €7.659 billion (A$12.6 billion), up 11 per cent on the same period last year, even though overall visitor numbers increased only modestly to 11.692 million from 11.625 million in 2024.
The real difference came in spending: the average visitor spent €622.70 (A$1,026), compared with €565.40 (A$932) a year earlier. Analysts note that the rise was partly due to fewer arrivals from low-spending Balkan countries such as Bulgaria and North Macedonia, whose travellers were deterred by higher accommodation and dining prices.
In June alone, arrivals dipped 1.7 per cent to 4.602 million, but revenue still climbed 8.8 per cent.
U.S. tourists drive the surge
Among key markets, Germany led with €1.366 billion (A$2.25b) in spending, followed by the UK at €1.082 billion (A$1.78b). But the standout story was the United States.
Nearly 694,100 U.S. tourists visited Greece in the first half of the year — a 20 per cent increase. They spent €704.3 million (A$1.16b), up 29.4 per cent, with each American visitor spending an average of €1,014.69 (A$1,670), around 63 per cent more than the overall average.
Australians also remain a crucial long-haul market. More than 300,000 visited Greece in 2023/24, a figure that underscores the strength of diaspora ties and the country’s enduring appeal despite the distance.
Greece climbs global rankings
A new INSETE report based on a GlobalWebIndex (GWI) survey confirms Greece’s growing international profile. Greece ranks among the top 15 travel destinations for tourists from the U.S., Canada, and Australia, while significantly gaining ground in India, surpassing China for the first time.
Australia: 11th (9.8 per cent), 3rd in the Mediterranean after Italy and France
Canada: 11th (7.9 per cent)
U.S.: 13th (8.4 per cent)
India: 26th (5.9 per cent), up 13 spots from last year
China: 31st (3.8 per cent)
Travel intent is especially strong in India, with 72.4 per cent of respondents expressing plans to travel abroad this year, many seeking sun, sea, and nature — areas where Greece is well placed to compete.
Meanwhile, Australians and Americans remain among the world’s biggest spenders on accommodation, while Canadian, U.S., and Chinese travellers report the strongest expectations of increasing travel budgets in 2025.
This explains Greece’s increasing push to attract more long-haul visitors. Industry insiders argue that the task would be easier if low-cost airlines were allowed to expand direct transatlantic services. Norse Atlantic Airways is already tapping this demand, having launched a Los Angeles–Athens service in June to complement its existing New York–Athens route.
Melbourne opportunity missed — again
Despite this record-breaking performance, Greece has once more failed to capitalise on one of its most loyal and lucrative markets, Melbourne.
The proposed Greek National Tourism Organisation’s (GNTO) Melbourne office, to be housed rent-free at the Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM), has been postponed again.
“It’s all become a little Byzantine,” one GCM board member told Neos Kosmos on condition of anonymity.
“They [Greek government] just do not respect the diaspora. We are offering rent-free offices in the centre of Melbourne, one of the world’s great metropolises, and home to one of the world’s largest Greek diaspora populations. The Greeks just don’t get it!”
The board member underlined the importance of positioning the GNTO in Australia and the broader Asia-Pacific, one of the most dynamic regions of the global economy.
Earlier this year, GNTO Secretary General Andreas Fiorentinos assured GCM President Bill Papastergiadis that the process was advancing.
“The process for the selection and placement of an executive, who will assume the position of Head of the Office, is underway and is expected to be completed shortly,” Fiorentinos said in February.
But with months gone and no outcome, the delay has reignited frustration. Tourism professionals argue that Greece risks undermining its long-haul market gains if it continues to neglect Australia, particularly Melbourne, where Greek Australians remain among the most engaged and highest-spending visitors.
Another record year ahead
With the peak summer season still to be counted, tourism professionals are confident that 2025 will deliver another record year for Greece’s most vital sector. Yet the failure to seize the Melbourne opportunity highlights a deeper problem: while Greece is successfully monetising demand from the U.S. and Europe, it continues to fall short in leveraging the unique advantage of its global diaspora.