Greece's tourism sector is basking in a golden summer, with a 12.2 percent surge in revenue during the first half of 2024, reaching €6.921 billion.
The number of visitors also soared, increasing by 15.5 percent to 11.625 million, according to data from the Bank of Greece. The impressive performance highlights the country's enduring appeal as a premier tourist destination and its resilience in the face of global economic challenges.
June 2024 proved particularly strong, with a 7.7 percent increase in revenue to 3.115 billion euros and an 8.8 percent rise in tourist arrivals to 4.681 million. Although the average spending per tourist saw a slight decline, the overall growth in visitor numbers and total expenditure significantly boosted Greece's tourism income.
German tourists emerged as the top spenders, contributing over 1.2 billion euros, followed closely by British tourists at just over 1 billion euros. Americans ranked third, adding 540 million euros to the revenue.
The increase in tourist spending resulted in a healthy travel balance surplus of 2.861 billion euros in June 2024, a notable rise from the previous year. Revenue from EU-27 residents grew by 4.6% in June, driven primarily by a 34.5 percent surge from non-Eurozone EU countries. However, revenue from Eurozone countries and the US saw a slight decline.
Despite a minor dip in average tourist expenditure, the overall increase in arrivals and total spending has significantly bolstered Greece's tourism industry in the first half of 2024.