US visitors rise, spend more
The number of US tourists visiting Greece has increased substantially, to the point where they are about to displace the French in absolute numbers this year, behind the Germans and the British.
Moreover, US tourists tend to stay longer and spend more than others.
From 2013 to 2023, the number of US visitors rose from 466,500 to 1.4 million; this year, so far, arrivals from the US at Athens Airport are up 7% on last year and growing.
This is, to a large extent, due to the growth of direct flights: Airplane seat capacity has increased 118% since 2019, according to Athens International Airport data. This summer alone, seat capacity has grown 25.3%, according to INSETE, an institute founded by four professional tourist associations.
The size of the US market, Greece’s rising reputation over there, and the relative strength of the dollar compared to the euro are some of the factors fueling the increase in visitors. Also, for the most part, US tourists are satisfied with their experience: In a survey by GBR Consulting, 85% said that their experience exceeded their expectations and 82% declared they plan to visit again.
The survey also showed that US visitors tend to be middle-aged, around 45, and they prefer luxury hotels more than other groups.
US tourists, more than others, spend time in Athens: They are the biggest national group among visitors. Data by the Bank of Greece show US tourists stay on average 12 days in Greece, compared six days for visitors overall and they spend 100 euros daily, compared to €70 for all visitors. They spend almost half their stay in the capital.
In 2023, the total number of tourists rose 20.8%, to 36.082 million. The number of US visitors rose 29%, to 1.406 million. This year, following the airlines’ expectations, this number will rise to 1.7 million.
When one looks at revenue from tourists by nationality, the Germans topped the list in 2023, spending a total of €3.571 billion, followed by UK visitors (€3.294 billion), the French (€1.425 billion) and the Americans (€1.41 billion). Trends show that US visitors’ spending will overtake that of the French in 2024.
