Greece’s tourism sector continued its strong performance in the first five months of 2026, with travel receipts rising 25.8% year on year as international visitor arrivals increased 20.9%, according to the latest balance of payments data released by the Bank of Greece (BoG).

The positive tourism performance also boosted the country’s services balance, with the travel surplus providing the biggest contribution to growth during the January-May period.

In May alone, non-resident tourist arrivals climbed 12.2%, while travel receipts increased 10.9% compared with the same month in 2025, reinforcing expectations for another robust summer season.

Despite the tourism-driven gains, Greece’s overall current account deficit widened to 8.9 billion euros in the January-May period, reflecting weaker primary and secondary income balances. However, the goods deficit narrowed as exports outpaced imports, highlighting stronger external trade performance.

The figures reflect the tourism sector’s growing role as a key driver of the Greek economy, helping strengthen the services sector and partially offset broader external imbalances.

According to the Bank of Greece’s (BoG) “Note on the Greek Economy” report released last month, the sector will be among the Greek economy’s main drivers in the coming period. Citing an extended tourism season, increased cruise activity, and expanded source markets, BoG analysts expect tourism to remain a key contributor to economic growth.