Despite a strong surge in inbound tourism from Israel in 2024, recent tensions in the Middle East have already begun to impact travel flows to Greece, according to new intelligence released by INSETE, the research arm of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE).
Israeli arrivals to Greece rose by 30 percent in 2024, reaching 621,000 visitors. These travelers contributed significantly to the country’s tourism economy, generating 419 million euros in revenue – up 55 percent from 2023 – and ranking among the highest-spending groups, with per capita expenditure reaching 676 euros, well above the national average of 573 euros. The average length of stay also increased to 6.3 nights.
The top destinations for Israeli travelers in 2024 were Attica (accounting for 53 percent of air arrivals), the Dodecanese (18 percent), and Crete (14 percent), followed by Central Macedonia and the Ionian Islands.
Tensions trigger immediate airline seat reductions
However, following the outbreak of hostilities between Iran and Israel, the number of scheduled airline seats from Israel to Greece for the week of June 16-22 dropped by 3 percent – approximately 32,700 seats – compared to the previous week (June 9-16).
According to INSETE, a comparison of the weeks before and after the start of hostilities shows a clear decline in planned air seats. So far, the most pronounced reductions are seen in the immediate summer months:
– June: –7 percent (some 13,300 fewer seats)
– July: –4 percent (some 10,700 fewer seats)
– August: –3 percent (some 7,000 fewer seats)
The trend gradually stabilizes into autumn:
– September: –1 percent (some 1,700 fewer seats)
– October: 0 percent change
Destinations such as Athens (–5 percent), Crete (–4 percent), Chania (–19 percent), and Thessaloniki (–4 percent) are expected to record the most significant seat losses during the summer.
Air capacity still up year-on-year
Photo source: EL AL Israel Airlines.
Despite the near-term dip, INSETE notes that the overall air seat scheduling for June to October 2025 remains 37 percent higher than the same period last year – suggesting that optimism persists among carriers and tour operators, provided conditions stabilize.
Key destinations with notable year-on-year increases include Santorini (+135 percent), Thessaloniki (+102 percent), Aktio (+202 percent), Corfu (+74 percent), Athens (+35 percent), and Heraklion (+28 percent).
According to the data, the Israeli market continues to hold strategic value for Greek tourism, especially as it outperforms the average visitor in both spending and length of stay.
INSETE cautions, however, that maintaining this momentum will depend heavily on geopolitical developments in the coming weeks.
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