Greece welcomes 20 million tourists and earns €13.5 billion in Jan–Jul 2026
Arrivals rose 8.6% year‑on‑year and receipts grew 12%, with EU and non‑EU visitors contributing to the gain.
Greece received 20 million visitors in the first seven months of 2026 and earned €13.5 billion from tourism, figures that mark a clear expansion of the sector compared with the same period last year.
The increase in arrivals for January–July stands at 8.6 percent year‑on‑year, the Bank of Greece reports. Growth came both through land border crossings, which rose by 17.5 percent, and through airport arrivals, which climbed by 6 percent.
Visitor mix and revenue sources
From EU member states Greece welcomed 11.6 million tourists, up 8.6 percent compared with the same period a year earlier. Visitors from other countries rose by 8.7 percent, reaching 8.5 million.
Tourism receipts for January–July increased by 12 percent to €13.5 billion. Receipts from residents of EU countries grew by 6.9 percent to €7.1 billion, while receipts from residents of other countries rose by 18.3 percent, to €5.8 billion.
July showed a different pattern: tourist arrivals were 3.1 percent lower than in July last year, yet receipts in that month rose by 7.2 percent. Land border arrivals in July fell sharply, down 17.8 percent year‑on‑year.
For context, the previous year was a record for Greek tourism, with almost 38 million visitors — 5.6 percent more than in 2024 — and tourism revenues that rose by 9.4 percent to €23.6 billion.
Photo: press material from the event
