The picture emerging from the US market for Greek tourism this year looks quite different when not only arrivals, but also the revenue they generate, is taken into account. Although the number of American travellers visiting Greece during the first five months of 2026 was slightly lower than last year, their economic contribution increased significantly.
According to data from the Bank of Greece, 454,000 arrivals from the United States were recorded between January and May 2026, representing a 2% decline year-on-year. At the same time, travel receipts from the US market reached €539 million, marking a 19.4% increase compared with the same period in 2025.
The gap between the trend in arrivals and that of tourism revenue is one of the most notable features of this year’s performance. Based on total receipts and the number of travellers, average spending per trip reached approximately €1,187 during the first five months of the year, compared with €974 over the same period in 2025. This represents an increase of almost 22%.
In other words, while Greece welcomed slightly fewer American visitors, each trip generated an average of around €213 more than it did a year earlier.
May Changes the Picture
The strength of the US market became even more apparent in May, as transatlantic travel to Greece began to pick up significantly.
Arrivals from the United States reached 126,200, representing a modest 1.9% increase. Tourism receipts, however, followed a very different trajectory, rising by 55.1% to €188.2 million.
Average spending per trip therefore reached approximately €1,491, compared with around €980 in May 2025. The increase of more than 50% suggests that the rise in revenue cannot simply be attributed to the small increase in visitor numbers.
The development may reflect changes in traveller behaviour, including longer stays, a preference for higher-end accommodation, or increased spending on restaurants, transportation, shopping and experiences. The Bank of Greece data do not yet allow the contribution of each factor to be determined. They do, however, clearly demonstrate the growing economic value of the US market to Greek tourism.
It is also worth noting that more than one-third of the total €539 million in receipts generated by American travellers during the first five months of the year was recorded in May alone. This performance is particularly significant given that it followed a period when there had been signs of slowing demand.
Recovery After Initial Concerns
At the end of March, bookings for air seats from the United States to Greece were reportedly down 28% year-on-year, according to data presented by INSETE.
Geopolitical uncertainty, changes in international travel patterns and rising airfares had encouraged some travellers to adopt a more cautious approach. This raised questions about whether the increased air capacity between Greece and the US could be fully absorbed during the summer season.
Airlines, however, largely maintained their scheduled services, without significant reductions in available capacity. The May figures suggest that some of the demand may simply have shifted later, with more travellers making bookings closer to their departure dates.
With 103 direct air connections between the US and Greece, as well as the new Seattle–Athens route expected to further improve access to Greece from the US West Coast, the American market continues to be one of the key pillars of Greek tourism.
Read the full article on Tornos News.
