Tourism In Greece

Tourism in Greece has been a key element of the economic activity in the country, and is one of the country’s most important sectors. Greece has been a major tourist destination and attraction in Europe since the 1970s for its rich culture and history, which is reflected in large part by its 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, among the most in Europe and the world as well as for its long coastline, many islands, and beaches.

Turismo en Grecia

Greece attracted as many as 31.3 million visitors in 2019, up from 24 million in 2015, making Greece one of the most visited countries in Europe and the world, and contributing to approximately 25% to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product. Greece is one of Europe’s most popular LGBT tourist destinations. The religious tourism and pilgrimages, the ecotourism, the conference tourism, and the medical tourism are prominent, and initiatives are being made to promote the seasonal tourism as well. Some of the country’s major tourist destinations include the capital city Athens, the islands of Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, Corfu and Crete, as well as the peninsula of Chalkidice.

Tourismus in Griechenland

Туризм в Греции

Tourism in Greece traces its roots to ancient times. Cultural exchange took place between the Greek colonies of Magna Graeca and the young Roman Republic before Rome’s rise to dominance of the Western Mediterranean. When Greece was annexed by the Roman Empire centuries later, the cultural exchange that started between the two civilizations triggered as a result a large number of Romans visiting the famous centers of Greek philosophy and science, such as Athens, Corinth and Thebes, partly because Greece had become a province of the Roman Empire and Greeks were granted Roman citizenship.

希腊旅游

Tourisme en Grèce

Τουρισμός στην Ελλάδα

السياحة في اليونان

Tourism in modern-day Greece started to flourish in the 1960s and 1970s, in what became known as mass tourism. During that time, large-scale construction projects for hotels and other such facilities were undertaken, and the country saw an increase in international tourists over the years. International events such as the 2004 Summer Olympic Games and the Eurovision Song Contest 2006, both held in Athens, greatly helped to boost tourism in the country, while large-scale nationally funded cultural infrastructure such as the New Acropolis Museum also contributed to the flow of tourists in the country. Thessaloniki was the European Youth capital in 2014.