Top Greek Destinations for International Arrivals in H1 2025 — Total Reaches 10.3 Million

Greece welcomed 10.3 million international air arrivals in the first half of 2025, marking an increase of 556,000 passengers or +5.7% compared to the same period in 2024, according to figures released by INSETE, the Institute of the Greek Tourism Confederation.

Top 3 Destinations: Athens, Crete, and the Dodecanese

• Athens ranked first among all destinations, receiving 3.8 million international arrivals via Athens International Airport — an increase of 335,000 arrivals (+9.6%) compared to H1 2024.
• Crete followed with 1.9 million international arrivals, showing a growth of +4.7%.
• The Dodecanese came next, with 1.5 million arrivals, posting a +1.3% increase.

Other Key Regional Performances

• Ionian Islands: 1.3 million arrivals (+4.9%)
• Peloponnese: 81,000 arrivals (+9.7%)
• Cyclades: The only region to see a decline, with 328,000 arrivals, down -11.5%

Performance by Airport (Jan–Jun 2025)

• Athens (ATH): 3.8 million arrivals (+9.6%)
• Thessaloniki (SKG): 1.2 million (+8.7%)
• Heraklion (HER): 1.4 million (+5.7%)
• Chania (CHQ): 544,000 (+2.3%)
• Rhodes (RHO): 1 million (+0.9%)
• Kos (KGS): 452,000 (+3.2%)
• Corfu (CFU): 666,000 (+5.1%)
• Zakynthos (ZTH): 343,000 (+4.9%)
• Kefalonia (EFL): 121,000 (+4.2%)
• Mykonos (JMK): 139,000 (+1.5%)
• Santorini (JTR): 189,000 (-19.1%)
• Kalamata (KLX): 56,000 (+6.8%)
• Araxos (GPA): 25,000 (+16.7%)
• Skiathos (JSI): 86,000 (+0.4%)
• Samos (SMI): 43,000 (-4.6%)
• Kavala (KVA): 38,000 (+0.2%)
• Mytilene (MJT): 25,000 (-0.2%)

The first half of 2025 showcased a resilient upward trend in international arrivals to Greece, with Athens, Crete, and the Dodecanese proving to be the strongest magnets for foreign visitors. While most destinations saw solid growth, Cyclades and select islands like Santorini and Samos recorded declines, indicating potential areas for re-evaluation in terms of connectivity or tourism strategy.

Source: pagenews.gr