Greece Reinforces Its Position As A Leading Global Tourism Destination With Record Growth, Sustainable Strategies, And Strategic Investments

Published on December 10, 2025

Greece continues to solidify its status as a top global tourism destination, driven by a combination of record-breaking growth in visitor arrivals and revenue, sustainable tourism strategies, and significant investments in the sector. The country’s consistent fiscal policies and unified approach to tourism development have enabled it to thrive economically, positioning Greece as a year-round destination with expanding offerings that cater to diverse traveler needs. Through initiatives that promote lesser-known regions, enhance digital tourism platforms, and prioritize eco-friendly experiences, Greece is ensuring its competitive edge while fostering long-term sustainability.

During her speech at the 27th Capital Link Invest in Greece Forum in New York, the Minister of Tourism highlighted the crucial role of tourism in Greece’s economic growth and emphasized the sector’s strong future potential. She noted that Greece is recognized as a model for consistent fiscal policy, with growth rates surpassing the Eurozone average. The Minister attributed much of this economic progress to the booming tourism industry, which has seen significant growth in recent years due to a strategic, unified approach focused on improving the quality, sustainability, and resilience of Greek tourism destinations.

As a result of this strategy, tourism performance in Greece has consistently improved. In 2024, Greece welcomed 40 million visitors, including cruise passengers, generating a record-breaking 21.6 billion euros in tourism receipts. This marked the second consecutive year of such impressive results. Furthermore, the positive trend continued into 2025, with a 4 percent increase in arrivals and a 9 percent rise in tourism revenue from January to September. The Minister emphasized that the demand for tourism in the winter and shoulder months is strengthening, demonstrating that Greece is successfully evolving into a year-round destination.

The Minister outlined Greece’s sustainable tourism strategy, which aims to promote the country’s unique identity while ensuring the sector remains highly competitive. One of the key pillars of this strategy is diversifying the tourism offering. The government is working to promote lesser-known destinations and extend tourism activity throughout the year and across all regions. By focusing on these areas, Greece is not only attracting more visitors but also spreading the economic benefits of tourism to less-explored parts of the country.

To support this vision, the government has introduced several legislative initiatives to facilitate investment and simplify licensing procedures. These reforms have opened up major opportunities for investment in several key tourism sectors, such as maritime tourism, mountain tourism, and wellness tourism. In particular, the Ministry of Tourism is implementing a comprehensive strategy to promote mountain tourism, aiming to tap into the potential of Greece’s rich natural landscapes and cultural heritage.

New categories of environmentally friendly tourism products, such as glamping accommodations, are also gaining attention. These products align with global trends toward sustainable and eco-friendly tourism experiences, and Greece is well-positioned to capitalize on this growing demand.

Another significant area of focus for the Minister is the digital transformation of Greece’s tourism sector. The Ministry has been working on redesigning the official travel portal, VisitGreece.gr, to make it more user-friendly and accessible. In addition, the Ministry is developing thematic digital platforms to support niche tourism segments like agritourism, gastronomic tourism, and health and wellness tourism. These platforms will incorporate Artificial Intelligence to provide travelers with personalized recommendations and improve the overall travel experience.

The Minister also emphasized that quality tourism in Greece is built on the strength of human capital. Investing in people is a cornerstone of the country’s tourism strategy. The Ministry has prioritized modernizing tourism schools and implementing reskilling and upskilling programs to ensure that Greece’s hospitality workforce remains competitive in a rapidly changing global tourism market.

In line with this, the Minister highlighted that the development of human capital is a key element of Greece’s tourism policy. This focus will be reflected in the new unified European Strategy for Tourism, which Greece is actively shaping. The European strategy will be presented in 2026 and is expected to include provisions for a dedicated EU-level funding mechanism to support sustainability-enhancing tourism projects.

Greece’s leadership role in European tourism policy is also exemplified by the appointment of a Greek EU Commissioner to the Sustainable Transport and Tourism portfolio. As the country assumes a prominent position in shaping the future of European tourism, Greece is committed to fostering sustainable tourism that benefits local communities, businesses, and travelers alike.

At the same forum, the Minister participated in a Minister-Investor Group Meeting, where she highlighted the significant investment opportunities Greece offers in the tourism sector. She pointed to the strong performance of Greek tourism, which has seen record-high arrivals and revenue, and noted that Greece is now ranked among the top 10 travel destinations globally.

The government is implementing a comprehensive tourism strategy that includes infrastructure upgrades, the simplification of business procedures, and the enhancement of tourism services. Key initiatives include allocating resources to improve accessibility to tourism services and introducing targeted legislation to regulate the short-term rental market. These efforts have made Greece an increasingly attractive destination for tourism investments, particularly in the development of new hospitality infrastructure and tourism services.

Additionally, the Minister outlined a series of investments aimed at strengthening the digital infrastructure of the tourism sector and boosting the competitiveness of Greece’s tourism offerings. These initiatives include investments in digital tools to promote tourism, as well as the development of new platforms to support a broader range of tourism experiences.

Greece reinforces its position as a leading global tourism destination with record growth in arrivals and revenue, fueled by sustainable strategies and targeted investments. These efforts have driven the country’s tourism sector to new heights, ensuring long-term success and a year-round appeal for travelers.

Greece’s tourism strategy, underpinned by its commitment to sustainability, innovation, and human capital development, positions the country to lead the way in the future of European tourism. The Minister’s speech underscored Greece’s readiness to meet the evolving demands of the global tourism market and continue its trajectory of economic growth driven by the tourism sector.