Cruise Tourism Breaks Records in Greece: €1.1 Billion and 5 Million Passengers in 2024

  • 22 May, 25

According to final data released by the Bank of Greece, the country welcomed a total of 40.7 million tourists in 2024, generating €21.6 billion in tourism revenue. Cruise tourism stood out, contributing €1.112 billion in revenue—an increase of 22.4% compared to 2023—with approximately 5 million cruise visitors recorded over the year. Excluding cruise data, Greece’s traditional inbound tourism in 2024 amounted to 35.95 million visitors and €20.6 billion in revenue.

Key Data Overview

Explosive Growth

  • Cruise visitor count reached 5.01 million, a 43.8% year-on-year surge.
  • Total cruise port calls (including multiple stops by the same visitor): 7.83 million, up 12.4%.
  • Greek ports received a total of 5,308 cruise ship calls in 2024.

Economic Contribution

  • Total cruise tourism revenue: €1.112 billion, including:
    • €111.5 million in spending by departing passengers (based on border survey statistics).
    • €1.0006 billion in port spending (based on specialized cruise tourism surveys).
  • Overnight shore stays reached 12.39 million, a 31.5% increase year-on-year.

Port Competitiveness Rankings

  • Top revenue-generating ports:
    • Piraeus (48.5%)
    • Corfu (11.8%)
    • Heraklion (8%)
  • Top ports by visitor arrivals:
    • Piraeus (15.3%)
    • Mykonos (14.5%)
    • Santorini (14.1%)
  • The seven core ports accounted for 90.5% of total cruise revenue and 82% of port arrivals.

Market Characteristics

  • 81.2% of cruise visitors were transit tourists, with an average of 1.6 Greek ports visited per person.
  • Short-term spending coexists with in-depth experiences, as overnight stays increased at a significantly faster rate than overall visitor numbers.

Industry Impact

These figures underscore the strategic importance of cruise tourism in Greece’s travel industry:

  • 1 in every 8 inbound tourists arrived via cruise.
  • Cruise tourism made up 5.1% of total tourism revenue, with a growth rate twice that of the broader market.
  • Piraeus Port solidified its status as a key cruise hub in the Mediterranean, while the Aegean island cluster demonstrated strong synergistic appeal.

Analysts note that Greece, with its unique island resources and cultural heritage, is fast becoming a premier global cruise destination. To fully tap into the spending potential of high-end cruise travelers, further investment in port infrastructure and development of distinctive shore experiences will be crucial.

Cre: news.gtp.gr

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