Tourism revenues in 2024 rose by 4 percent to 20.6 billion euros from 19.7 billion euros in 2023, with travelers from the US, Canada, and Australia ranking among the top spenders, according to a study by INSETE, the research body of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE).
The study “X-ray of Inbound Tourism 2023-2024 – Market Profile” found that all key indicators showed positive results last year, with arrivals up 10 percent to 36 million and overnight stays edging up by just one percent.
Canadians ranked as the highest spenders in Greece in 2024, with an average per capita holiday spend of 1,260 euros—more than double the national average of 573 euros and 120 percent above the overall tourist average.
Australians ranked second, with an average spend of 1,068 euros per trip—87 percent above the national average. Yet, despite their strong spending power, per capita expenditure from Australian travelers dropped by 33 percent year-on-year.
The United States rounded out the top three source markets for Greece, with American visitors spending an average of 1,024 euros per trip.
Notably, U.S. visitors recorded the highest daily spend in 2024 at 107 euros per night, followed by Canadians at 96 euros, while Australians had the lowest at 92 euros. Canadian spending rose sharply by 23 percent compared to 2023, while U.S. travelers posted a more moderate 5 percent rise.
Other big spenders included German, French, Italian, and Dutch visitors.
Strongest-performing markets
Israel recorded the strongest revenue growth in 2024, up by 55 percent, underscoring Israel’s growing importance for Greek tourism. The country also posted a 30 percent increase in arrivals and a 54 percent rise in overnight stays.
Spain posted the second-largest revenue increase, up by 48 percent, with arrivals rising 27 percent and overnight stays up 11 percent. Turkey also reported strong results, with revenues increasing by 47 percent, arrivals by 38 percent, and overnight stays by 40 percent.
Denmark posted solid gains, with arrivals up 57 percent, overnight stays up 46 percent, and revenues up 29 percent.
Belgium followed with arrivals rising 37 percent, overnight stays 29 percent, and revenues 21 percent, while Israel recorded a 30 percent increase in arrivals, a 54 percent rise in overnight stays, and a 55 percent surge in revenues.
Markets with mixed results
Despite their high per capita spending, Australian tourism to Greece declined across all key indicators: arrivals dropped 37.8 percent (from 289,000 in 2023 to 180,000 in 2024), overnight stays fell 40.5 percent (from 3.5 million to 2.1 million), and revenues plunged 58.3 percent (from 460 million euros to 192 million).
In Canada’s case, arrivals dipped slightly by 3.6 percent (from 314,000 to 302,000), but overnight stays grew 9.2 percent to reach 4 million in 2024. Revenues also recorded a strong gain of 18.1 percent, rising from 322 million euros to 381 million.
By contrast, several markets saw declines across all key indicators in 2024. Russia saw sharp declines, with arrivals down 55 percent, overnight stays down 69 percent, and revenues down 52 percent. More moderate decreases were noted in the Netherlands, Serbia, and the United Kingdom.
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