- Greece ranks 4th among Germans’ top European holiday destinations in 2025
- Demand remains resilient for 2026, despite rising prices
- Germany’s travelers now spend more in Greece than anywhere else in Europe
- Average daily spend in Greece reaches €147, the highest on the continent
- Germans cut daily life costs — not holidays
Greece remains firmly embedded in the German travel imagination. In 2025, it holds fourth place among the most popular European destinations for Germans’ main holiday trip — even as it simultaneously earns a far less flattering distinction: the most expensive destination in Europe.
And yet, demand holds.
According to the 42nd German Tourism Analysis by the Foundation for Future Studies, based on a survey of 3,000 respondents conducted in December 2025 and January 2026, Greece’s share of the German market rose to 4.1% in 2025, up from 4% in 2024. Early indicators for 2026 show Greece still firmly on the radar, with growth potential later in the year.
Price inflation has not chased Germans away.
It has simply redefined expectations.
The Mediterranean hierarchy — and Greece’s costly position
In 2025, Germans ranked their European holiday choices as follows:
- Spain: 9.1% (up from 8.9%)
- Italy: 7.3% (up from 6.6%)
- France: 3.2% (up from 2%)
- Greece: 4.1%
- Followed by other Mediterranean and Northern European destinations
Spain, Italy, and France benefit from what the study describes as a renewed attraction to lifestyle-driven travel — gastronomy, cultural familiarity, emotional comfort, and a sense of authenticity. The revival of Dolce Vita and Savoir-vivre is not nostalgia; it is strategy.
Greece competes in this same emotional space — but at a higher price point.
2026 outlook: stable demand, early decisions
Despite economic pressure, geopolitical uncertainty, and social anxiety, travel remains non-negotiable for Germans.
- Two-thirds plan at least one trip in 2026
- Decisions are made earlier than a decade ago
- Only 3% of those with fixed plans have already chosen Greece — equal to France, but below Spain (9%), Italy (7%), Scandinavia (5%), and Turkey (4%)
This does not signal a loss of appeal.
It reflects Greece’s role as a later-decision destination, particularly for summer travel.
Meanwhile, one in five Germans now plans long-haul travel, while domestic tourism inside Germany softens slightly. Mediterranean destinations, Greece included, continue to absorb the bulk of outbound demand.
The price reality: Greece at the top of the bill
Here is where the narrative tightens.
- Average cost of a main holiday (2025): €1,636 per person
- Nearly €100 more than 2024
- Over €500 more than in 2015
- Average spend in Greece: €1,872 per person
→ Highest in Europe
Comparison:
- Turkey: €1,766
- Spain: €1,760
- France: €1,732
- Italy: €1,672
- Croatia: €1,303
- Austria: €1,183
Greece is no longer “competitive”.
It is premium by default.
Daily spend tells the same story
The average daily holiday spend reached a new high of €130 per person in 2025.
Top destinations:
- Greece: €147
- Spain: €143
- Long-haul average: €141
By contrast:
- Turkey: €108
- Croatia: €97
Airfare increases partly explain the rise, but accommodation, food, and on-site services now carry equal weight.
Still, Germans keep paying.
Why does the price not scare Germans away
The study is blunt: Germans are re-prioritizing, not retreating.
They:
- Save on daily consumption
- Delay major purchases
- Cut elsewhere
But not on holidays.
As noted by Ulrich Reinhardt, Scientific Director of the Foundation:
“Vacations have become the last refuge of self-determination — the final thing people are willing to cut, even when money is tight.”
In 2025:
- 64% of Germans took at least one trip of five days or more
- 44% traveled multiple times (up from just 15% ten years ago)
- High-income travelers were four times more likely to take multiple trips
Travel is no longer an escape.
It is a coping strategy.
Length of stay: Greece holds its ground
The average holiday length remained stable at 12.6 days in 2025.
By destination:
- Turkey: 16.4 days
- Greece: 12.7 days
- Croatia: 13.5
- France: 12.8
- Spain: 12.4
- Italy: 12.3
Despite higher costs, Germans do not shorten their stay in Greece. They pay more.
Germany’s travelers are still coming.
They are staying just as long.
They are spending more than anywhere else in Europe.
That is not loyalty.
It is a stress test.
Greece remains desirable — but it is now priced as a premium experience. Without corresponding gains in infrastructure, service quality, transparency, and value perception, price tolerance has a ceiling.
And Germany, for all its resilience, will eventually notice when value stops matching the bill.
