Highlighting Greece’s “hidden gems,” promoting alternative forms of tourism focused on culture, sports and gastronomy, and strengthening infrastructure are seen as three key pillars for accelerating the transformation of the country’s tourism model, in order to sustain its strong performance.

To maintain the momentum of Greek tourism in a highly competitive Mediterranean market and adapt to emerging global trends, Greece must respond swiftly and effectively to new conditions, the National Bank of Greece said in an analysis.

The report notes a gradual convergence with international tourism trends, as the composition of arrivals shifts and the sector’s strong seasonality slowly eases.

In particular, the share of non-European, long-haul visitors in total arrivals is steadily increasing, reaching an estimated 15% in 2025 from 11% in 2019, supported by expanding air links with both mature markets such as the United States and emerging ones including China and India.

Looking ahead, the scope for further growth remains significant. Greece currently accounts for about 8% of long-haul tourists visiting the northern Mediterranean, up from 6% in 2019, compared with a 13% share of European tourists.

Strengthening this trend is seen as critical, as long-haul markets are expected to contribute roughly a quarter of Europe’s increase in tourist arrivals through 2040, driven by population growth and the expansion of the middle class in those regions, while also offering substantial opportunities to boost revenue per visitor.