Greece’s tourism sector closed 2025 with a sharp rise in arrivals, as inbound travel jumped 49% in December and increased 5.6% over the full year to 37.98 million visitors, according to data released by the Bank of Greece.

Preliminary figures showed the travel balance posted a surplus of 313.2 million euros in December 2025, up 83.5% from 170.7 million euros in the same month a year earlier.

Travel receipts rose 33% year-on-year in December to 623.0 million euros, compared with 468.6 million euros in December 2024. Travel payments increased at a slower pace of 4%, reaching 309.9 million euros.

The increase in receipts was driven by a 49% surge in inbound travel flows, although average spending per trip declined by 10.6%.

Net travel services receipts offset 8.8% of the goods trade deficit and accounted for 75.2% of total net services receipts in the month.

Full-year 2025 results

For the whole of 2025, the travel balance recorded a surplus of 20.26 billion euros, up from 18.79 billion euros in 2024.

Travel receipts rose by 2.03 billion euros, or 9.4%, to 23.63 billion euros. Travel payments increased by 565.5 million euros, or 20.2%, to 3.37 billion euros.

The annual rise in receipts reflected both a 5.6% increase in inbound travel and a 3.8% rise in average spending per trip.

Net travel services receipts offset 59.9% of the goods deficit and contributed 89.0% of total net services receipts in 2025.

In December, receipts from residents of the European Union (EU-27) increased by 10.9% to 295.1 million euros.

Receipts from residents of non-EU countries jumped 63.3% to 322.4 million euros, compared with 197.4 million euros a year earlier.

The increase from EU countries was mainly driven by a 154.3% surge in receipts from residents of countries outside the euro area, which rose to 82.9 million euros from 32.6 million euros. By contrast, receipts from euro area residents fell 9.1% to 212.2 million euros.