Greece has signed a vital agreement with Dubai-based Emirates airline, in a deal aiming to boost tourism to Greece throughout the year, the Greek Tourism Ministry announced Friday.
The agreement features a codeshare partnership with Greece’s Aegean Airlines, which will enhance access to some of the country’s most popular travel destinations, such as Santorini, Mykonos and Rhodes, through Emirates’ global network.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was co-signed by Thierry Aucoc, Emirates’ Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations for Europe and the Americas. It aims to bolster the strategic partnership between Greece and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the vital sector of tourism.
“Strategic cooperation with Emirates plays a pivotal role in enhancing Greece’s image as a top-tier tourism and business destination. It is a critical tool for further expanding our tourism sector,” Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni, who signed the agreement on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market Exhibition held in Dubai.
The newly signed memorandum outlines a number of joint initiatives to boost tourism demand, promote lesser-known Greek areas and position Greece as a year-round destination.
“Emirates has been operating in Greece since 1996, demonstrating its long-term commitment through enhanced connectivity and commercial presence,” said Aucoc. “We are confident that our joint actions will continue to inspire travelers from around the world to discover the cultural richness, natural beauty and renowned Greek hospitality that make the country a unique destination.”
The Greek Minister also met with Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and CEO of Emirates Airline and Group, marking a step towards deepening cooperation between the two countries and unlocking new opportunities for tourism development.
Greece sets new tourism record in 2024
Located on Europe’s southern tip in the Mediterranean Sea, Greece, relies heavily on tourism, which accounts for about a quarter of the country’s economic output.
The country set a new record in tourism revenues in 2024, collecting 21.7 billion euros ($22.6 billion), up from 20.6 billion euros ($21.5 billion) in 2023, according to data released by The Bank of Greece in February.
The increase by 5.3 percent or 1.1 billion euros ($1.15 billion) compared to 2023, had been long expected by both Greek government officials and tourism businesses given the steady rise of tourist arrivals throughout 2024.
After a two-year pause during the pandemic when international travel was affected and tourism came to a standstill, Greece has been seeing a steady increase both in the number of tourist arrivals and tourism revenues.
In 2019, the last year before global travel was interrupted due to COVID, Greece recorded revenues of 18.2 billion euros ($19.17 billion) and 31.3 million tourist arrivals. Numbers dropped dramatically in 2020 and 2021 and started to pick up again in 2022, when Greece welcomed 27.84 million international tourists, a 227 percent increase compared to 2020 but still 18 percent less than 2019 (pre-pandemic).
In 2023, Greece made a phenomenal comeback as an international tourism destination, and has continued to do so since. The number of tourists that visited the Mediterranean country of 10.3 million in 2023 (33 million) marked a 120 percent increase between 2019 and 2023.
Despite record revenues, retaining the current tourism model is not sustainable according to the country’s ombudsman, and Greece must reform if it is to protect its tourism sector.
In a report published in June 2024, the first on the tourism sector for the Greek Ombudsman since the authority was founded over 25 years ago, the ombudsman warned of the growing environmental risks, particularly the added strain on water supplies for drinking, swimming pools and water parks, and called for urgent reform.
Greece, the report said, needs to reduce rampant construction and protect water resources and coastal areas if it wants to maintain a healthy tourism industry.
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