- International arrivals at Greek airports rose by 5.9% during January–May 2025 compared to the same five months in 2024, or as the statisticians would say, “Behold, the crowd thickens.”
- 6.3 million international arrivals were recorded, delivering a neat bump of 351,000 extra travelers—just in case Greece was running low on sun-seekers.
- May 2025 alone saw 3.0 million arrivals. That’s another 153,000 visitors over last year, not that airport coffee got any cheaper.
- Crete is still winning, racking up 1 million international arrivals (+54,000 or +5.6%). The beach chairs might complain, but the local economy sure isn’t.
- The Dodecanese played runner-up with 786,000 visitors (+26,000 or +3.3%), and the Ionian Islands saw 547,000 (+27,000 or +5.2%).
- Peloponnese appeared on the charts with 38,000—a modest, yet cheerful, +16% gain.
- Not everyone’s feeling the love: Cyclades faced a 15.3% drop; it must be the wind or maybe just housing costs scaring folks away.
- Travel receipts for January–April 2025 climbed 10.6%, reaching €2.157 billion.
- Spending from non-EU countries soared 26%, though EU contributions quietly shrank by 1.8%.
- UK and USA travelers opened their wallets: UK receipts up 23.4% to €168 million, USA up 36.8% to €325 million. “We came, we spent, we conquered,” said their credit card statements.
Why does this matter? In INSETE’s own words: “International arrivals topped 6.3 million, marking yet another impressive rise for the sector.” Translation: the odds of finding a sunbed on a Greek beach just got a little tougher.
More Tourists, Same Beaches: The Arrival Stampede
The joke goes that Greece has more tourists than goats these days, and while that’s debatable, INSETE’s international arrivals data suggest the goats are badly outnumbered. From January to May 2025, a fresh batch of 5.9% more tourists landed at Greek airports than during the same time last year. That’s 351,000 additional trolley bags trundling over ancient marble, all recorded by those ever-watchful statisticians at INSETE Intelligence.
In May alone, 3 million people decided that their summer officially started as soon as their plane wheels touched the Greek tarmac—an increase of 153,000 compared to last May. For context, that’s roughly the population of a small city, now all vying for the same table with a sunset view.
It’s not just the usual Athens crowds, either. Crete, ever the overachiever, holds its crown with a full million international arrivals—5.6% more than last year and still not enough to warrant lower rental car prices. The Dodecanese and the Ionian Islands chased the trend, both celebrating their slice of the international visitor pie. The Peloponnese, previously known for its historic ruins and olive oil, experienced a sudden 16% increase in outsider curiosity, which likely means the locals have started learning how to pronounce “flat white.”
But because every success story needs its tragic subplot, the Cyclades suffered a rare decline, dropping 15.3%. Perhaps Santorini decided it was too shaky, or maybe airfares increased just as influencers lost interest (because Santorini is shaky). Either way, the islands are down 24,000 arrivals, a drop so steep even Mykonos parties couldn’t cover it up.
Counting Cash: Where the Money Talks Louder Than Words
Tourism receipts, the quiet numbers behind every bustling taverna, offer their own commentary. For the first four months of 2025, Greece saw its travel income rise by 10.6%—an €2.157 billion testament to the irresistible charm of feta, beaches, and not paying for Wi-Fi.
Here’s where things get interesting. Money from non-EU visitors puffed up by 26%, climbing to €1.04 billion. EU-27 travelers, for reasons known only to the European Central Bank, cut their spending by 1.8%. For the eurozone specifically, receipts fell by 5.7%, while non-eurozone EU countries threw in a 25.4% boost. The British, grateful for escaping from the rain, spent 23.4% more, while American tourists—possibly tipped off by a TikTok video—splashed out 36.8% more cash, topping €325 million.
Not everyone is waving their wallets, though. French spending decreased by 25%, and Italian contributions decreased by 6.6%. They may be saving up for next year, or maybe it’s the espresso prices.
But don’t take this writer’s word for it. INSETE’s Statistical Bulletin spells it out bluntly, “International arrivals topped 6.3 million.” Numbers rarely lie, though they might exaggerate on their online dating profiles.
The Numbers Behind the Experience: For Tourists, By Tourists
- International arrivals keep growing—sunburns, too.
- Crete sits at the top, and Cyclades takes a hit.
- Tourist spending is up, primarily thanks to UK and US travelers.
- EU visitor spending has cooled, but the rest of the world is happy to pick up the slack.
- May 2025: three million people agreed, “Yes, this is worth it.”
The Problem:
- Greece’s popularity brings crowding, higher prices, and competition for sunbeds.
- Cyclades face an unexplained drop in arrivals while other regions keep climbing.
- European tourists are reducing their spending, shifting the balance to non-EU markets.
- Price-sensitive markets retreat as costs tick up, especially in famed hotspots.
- Local businesses brace for ever-changing waves of optimism and anxiety, depending on the monthly INSETE graph.
