Greece is poised to see an influx of Chinese tourists this year in what is already shaping up to be the third consecutive record year for tourism. Outbound tourism from China is predicted to surge this year thanks to an increase in the number of flights and travel demand gaining momentum.
Greece is emerging as an increasingly appealing European destination for Chinese tourists thanks to various air routes, visa enhancements and trade deals. Last year Greece saw a whopping 30% increase in Chinese arrivals to Athens. The biggest factor is Sichuan Airlines’ launching a new route from Chengdu Tianfu International Airport to Athens with a stopover in Istanbul.
Starting in June the new route highlights Greece’s growing popularity to the Chinese market.
The Sichuan Province in Southwest China is one of the country’s most populous provinces and has a population of approximately 83 million – nine times Greece’s population.
Juneyao Airlines has also stepped up its commitment to Greece by increasing its Shanghai-Athens flight to four times. Operating with a state-of-the-art Boeing 787-9 aircraft the increased service began on April 13.
Meanwhile Air China is boosting its weekly flights from four to five in July. . This expansion will utilize the Airbus A330-300, catering to the rising number of Chinese visitors.
The increased connectively means that by this summer Chinese airlines are planning a combined total of 12 weekly flights between China and Athens.
Despite calls from locals and the industry for an overhaul of its current tourism module Greece collected an eye-watering total of 21.7 billion euros (£18 billion) in tourism revenues in 2024, up from 20.6 billion (£17 billion) in 2023.
Whilst short-term holiday rentals have surged by an eye-watering 500 percent in less than a decade.
In 2024 Greek ombudsman called for urgent reform warning that the country needs to manage tourism in a more sustainable way and it must not “exhaust its potential”.
In total, tourism accounts for a quarter of Greece’s economy, with record numbers of tourists travelling after the end of pandemic restrictions.