Greece’s tourism sector posted a strong start to 2026, with both visitor arrivals and travel receipts rising sharply in the first two months of the year, according to figures from the Bank of Greece.
Data from the central bank shows arrivals of non-resident travelers increased by 38.5% in January-February 2026.
Total inbound traveler flows reached 2.129 million visitors in January-February 2026, from 1.538 million in the same period of 2025. EU27 countries generated a total of 1.106 million arrivals, up 49.1%. Within the EU, the fast growing source market was France, up 41.5% (54,000 arrivals). Outside the EU, the UK generated 164,200 arrivals, up 56.7% while USA arrivals declined by 9.8% to 98,100.
In the meantime, tourism receipts climbed by 70.7% compared to the same period last year.
This growth helped lift the surplus in the Services Balance to €660 million, up from €550 million during the first two months of 2025, underlining the continued importance of tourism to the Greek economy.
Minister says outlook remains positive
This evolution gives way to optimism in government’s circles. Despite growing geopolitical tensions and uncertainty in global markets, Greece’s tourism outlook remains stable, according to Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni.
Speaking at the 11th Delphi Economic Forum, Kefalogianni said there is currently no major concern over the overall direction of the sector. She noted that developments in the Middle East and broader international instability are creating pressure across global tourism markets, particularly through rising transport and fuel costs.
These challenges are affecting European destinations across the board, she said, and require a coordinated response at EU level, with Greece actively involved in those discussions.
However, the minister stressed that demand remains resilient, with booking patterns and cancellations being closely monitored in cooperation with the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels.
The latest figures suggest Greece’s tourism industry continues to perform strongly, reinforcing expectations for another solid year for one of the country’s most important economic sectors.
