Greece's tourism industry remains the country's main economic driver, yet its post-pandemic recovery is uneven, with Thessaloniki and northern Greece lagging behind the south.
New data from the Institute of the Greek Tourism Confederation comparing 2019, the last pre-pandemic year, with 2024 show a dramatic geographic shift in where foreign visitors are spending their money. While overall tourism has rebounded strongly, the lion's share of growth has gone to Attica, the South Aegean islands and Crete, leaving much of northern Greece with a weaker economic footprint despite visible increases in visitor numbers.
By 2024, nearly one in four euros spent by foreign tourists in Greece was spent in the Athens region. Its share of arrivals rose from 16% in 2019 to 22% in 2024, while the "Average Expenditure per Visit" increased by 103 euros to 541 euros, up from 438 euros in 2019. Most strikingly, Attica's share of total tourism receipts jumped from 14.7% to 23%, the largest increase among all regions. The South Aegean, including the Cyclades and Dodecanese, remains the country's top earner, accounting for more than 25% of total receipts, while Crete continues to perform strongly.
By contrast, Central Macedonia, home to Thessaloniki, ranks among the losers of the 2019 - 2024 period. Its share of tourism revenue fell from 13% to just 7%, alongside a 4 percentage-point drop in overnight stays and a smaller decline in arrivals. Eastern Macedonia - Thrace also recorded losses across arrivals, nights and receipts. Western Macedonia, lacking a coastline, remains marginal in summer tourism and sees limited winter activity.
The core issue is not simply visitor numbers but visitor quality and spending power. In Thessaloniki and much of northern Greece, reliance on road-based tourism from neighbouring Balkan countries during the summer is described as economically unproductive. Cheap accommodation and fast food outlets may benefit, but infrastructure bears disproportionate strain. Nowhere in the world, not even in Greece, does the consumption of… gyros constitute a tourism metric.
P.S.1: Despite an observable rise in footfall over the past decade, especially compared with earlier municipal administrations seen as indifferent or even hostile to visitors, Thessaloniki still attracts fewer tourists than its size, history and cultural assets might justify. A key challenge is seasonality, with peak holiday weekends masking weaker performance across the year. Hoteliers and short-term rental operators report solid occupancy levels at times, yet average room rates and revenues lag well behind those in Athens and comparable mid-sized European cities.
P.S.2: Looking ahead, the future of northern Greece’s tourism upgrade is closely tied to Thessaloniki's "Macedonia" airport. More direct international connections, particularly long-haul and transatlantic routes, are seen as essential if the region is to move beyond low-cost carriers and diaspora traffic and significantly raise its economic impact.
By Giorgos Mitrakis - adapted from Greek by Vassia Barba
