In 2024, Greeks traveled abroad more than they did in 2023, according to data from INSETE, with spending reaching new historical highs. However, the number of departures and overnight stays still remains below pre-pandemic levels.
At the same time, data shows a notable shift in travel preferences, from Balkan destinations toward Central and Northern Europe.
Top Destinations for Greek Travelers
The INSETE study is based on data from the Bank of Greece Border Survey, which tracks outbound tourism annually. In 2024, 15 key destinations accounted for:
- 65.0% of total departures
- 66.5% of overnight stays
- 68.1% of total outbound travel spending
All destinations saw an increase, except for Bulgaria, Turkey, Cyprus, and Egypt.
Top 5 Travel Destinations in 2024
- Bulgaria – Still in 1st place, but with an 8% decrease (983,000 vs 1.1 million in 2023)
- Italy – 620,000 Greek visitors (+7%)
- Germany – 572,000 (+21%)
- Turkey – 549,000 (-8%)
- United Kingdom – 349,000 (+6%)
Ranks 6 to 10
- Cyprus – 305,000 (-9%)
- France – 240,000 (+22%)
- Spain – 212,000 (+11%)
- Austria – 197,000 (+22%)
- Netherlands – 182,000 (+25%)
Other Destinations with Strong Growth
- Poland – 105,000 (+25%, 11th place)
- USA – 87,000 (+1%, 12th place)
- Egypt – 60,000 (-5%, 13th place)
- Czech Republic – 47,000 (+26%, 14th place)
- Russia – 5,000 (unchanged from 2023)
Key Economic Insights
Improved economic conditions in Greece influenced a greater willingness to travel:
- Departures: +8% (from 6.2 million in 2023 to 6.7 million in 2024)
- Spending: +15% (from €2.4 billion to €2.8 billion)
- Overnight Stays: -1% (from 34.9 million to 34.5 million)
Total outbound spending reached record levels, despite departures and nights still being below 2019 levels.
How Much Greeks Spend Abroad
- Average Spending Per Capita: €420 (+7%, from €393)
- Average Spending Per Night: €81 (+17%, from €70)
- Average Length of Stay: 5.2 nights (-9%, from 5.6)
Despite a shorter stay, overall spending per traveler rose due to:
- A shift to higher-spending destinations
- Fewer trips to friends/relatives (which typically have longer stays)
- More leisure and city trips, which are shorter but more expensive per day
However, these figures remain lower than inbound tourism to Greece, with:
- Per capita spending: -27% lower
- Per night spending: -9% lower
- Duration of stay: -20% shorter
Seasonality of Outbound Travel
Greeks tend to travel year-round, unlike inbound tourism to Greece, which peaks in Q2 and Q3. Outbound travel is evenly distributed across all four quarters, with Q1 being slightly lower than the others.
Source: pagenews.gr