As the Bank of Greece publishes its latest report on tourism data, the figures show a picture of flourishing tourism for the first half of 2025, with an 11% rise in travel receipts compared to 2024. Yet it is not the full story: staggering imbalances are emerging from this boom. The growth is not universal, and some regions are already seeing a drop in visitors. And although millions are flowing into the economy, almost one in two Greeks could not afford a one-week holiday this summer. By contrast, the EU average is roughly one in four. Those who do manage often choose to travel abroad, where packages in Turkey or the Balkans are cheaper than local retreats.
From crisis to recovery
Greece’s tourism sector has made a remarkable comeback after years marred first by its financial crisis and then by the Covid-19 pandemic. According to the Bank of Greece, travel receipts in June 2025 rose by 8.8% compared to the same month last year, with revenues for January – June climbing to €7.66 billion. If the number of visitors only grew by a 0.6% from January till June, the total amount spent per trip increased by 10.0%. There was an increase in travellers from Germany (4.7%), Italy (4.9%) and the UK (11%) and 20% more American tourists.
In June alone, spending by German tourists increased by 18.6% to nearly €595 million, French by 19.9% to around €192 million, Italians by 25.7% with total spending reaching €180 million, and Americans by a dramatic 64.7% to approximately €247 million. There was a decrease from visitors from Russia.
The cost of overtourism
This upward trend now seems to have reached a wall, not unlike other popular summer destinations in Europe and beyond. Overtourism is bringing visible strain: housing prices driven up by short-term rentals, infrastructure stretched to its limits, local communities struggling to cope, and overbuilding damaging the very character of these destinations.
The island of Santorini, for example, has a population of around 15,550 residents yet it welcomes more than 5.5 million visitors annually. This puts heavy pressure on power grids, sewage systems and basic public services. In some cases, the most sought-after destinations are becoming victims of their own success, as crowds drive away the very visitors they attract. Santorini saw a 24.4% decrease in airport arrivals from January to May.
A report from 2024 already stated that ‘in Santorini, even tourists complain about the great number of tourists’.
Excluded at home
Behind the impressive figures lies the real paradox. As Greece welcomes the world, many locals are excluded from enjoying their own country. The Guardian has dubbed it ‘the Thailand of Europe’, not only for its beaches but also because foreigners can afford the holiday dream while locals are priced out. According to Eurostat, 46% of Greeks cannot afford a one-week holiday, compared with an EU average of around 27%.
Ismini Balale, a 28-year-old Greek told The Guardian that even though she would love to continue the great Greek tradition of August holidays, she cannot. Struggling to make ends meet with a retail salary of €850 a month, she said she could not ‘cough up €200 a night for a room. All my friends are in the same position, and we all have postgraduate degrees’.
Ferry prices illustrate the challenge: a family of four can spend about €450 on tickets to Aegina, while the average monthly salary stands at €1,380.
A fragile future
Some hoteliers and business owners celebrate record revenues and worry little about the social costs. Others warn that the imbalance could undermine the sector in the long run. Climate change adds another layer of uncertainty. This summer, wildfires on Corfu, Lefkada and Zante forced evacuations and raised safety concerns for visitors.
For now, demand shows no sign of easing – flights and hotels remain heavily booked. The real question is how Greece will manage these pressures in the years ahead. Tourism is the country’s economic lifeline, but without careful planning, the paradox will persist: a booming paradise for visitors, but increasingly out of reach for many Greeks themselves.
