By Christina Chrisanthopoulou

Greek tourism is expected to be on an upward trajectory this year, according to pre-bookings, reservations and hotel industry estimates.

However, there is significant regional variation, with difficulties for some islands of the Cyclades, while many regions of the country report a shift in demand from abroad from the so-called “high season” of July-August to the lower periods of May-June and September-October. At the same time, the entry of Bulgaria and Romania into the Schengen zone brings smiles to hoteliers in Northern Greece.

Overall, Greece is recording a 7% increase this year compared to last year, according to Yiannis Hatzis, president of the Panhellenic Federation of Hoteliers, who told Naftemporiki that tourist traffic continues to improve daily. Athens' performance remains strong this year, building on last year’s impressive growth.

Santorini and Amorgos preparing for a difficult season

Santorini, according to the president of the Hoteliers’ Association, Antonis Pagonis, is currently experiencing a 25%-30% drop in bookings for the two months of April-May and is looking forward to a return to normality after May. As Pagonis also pointed out, there is a shift in demand towards less expensive packages and the season is predicted to be more difficult for the ultra luxury accommodation category.

The current situation is difficult for Amorgos, which was also strongly affected by the earthquakes. According to Ioanna Sani, president of the island’s Hoteliers’ and Room Rental Owners’ Association, numerous cancellations for Easter—a period when the island typically thrives—have left hoteliers and professionals in a state of shock.

For the summer, however, reservations have begun and people are not worried about the recent seismic activity, with the best market for the island traditionally being the French one.

Crete

Following last year’s very positive performance with an 11% increase in arrivals and departures, as noted Dimitris Tzirakis, owner of Stella Hotels Collection — which has two four-star and two five-star hotels in Crete and a boutique luxury hotel in Santorini — there has already been a 3% increase in slots at Heraklion airport in 2025. Beds on the island are increasing steadily, both in hotels and on Airbnb, and Crete is expecting a season like last year.

However, Tzirakis pointed out that there is a pressure-reduction in advance bookings from abroad for July and August. On the contrary, higher traffic has been registered in the less touristic months, namely May-June and September-October. Also, a big question mark is what will happen with tourists from the USA, as Americans love Santorini very much for Island Hopping.

Dodecanese

The Dodecanese islands are experiencing a positive trend this year. More specifically, Rhodes is recording a double-digit growth rate this year, following last year’s spectacular increase, and Kos a single-digit one.

Specifically, regarding Rhodes, pre-bookings are moving at a double-digit growth rate with very high demand, especially from the British market. It is recalled that from April to October 2024, Rhodes broke the barrier of three million international air passengers and recorded an increase of 14% compared to its previous record in the corresponding period.

Peloponnese

Konstantinos Marinakos, president of the Peloponnese Tourist Organization, also reported a delay in bookings for July and August. While messages from the German and French markets are encouraging, demand from Italy is primarily focused on these two months. The Organization is also looking at new markets, including India, Israel and Korea, and expresses cautious optimism for this year’s season, considering the political developments in the USA, a key market for the Peloponnese.

Corfu

Corfu is expecting even more visitors this year for Easter, while for the summer, pre-bookings are close to last year’s levels, according to Charalambos Voulgaris, president of the island’s Hoteliers’ Association. However, there is a slight lag in bookings for expensive hotels in July and August, with a shift in interest and higher occupancy rates in May-June and September-October.