The United States updated its travel advisory to Greece this week to include warnings related to petty crime and demonstrations that Americans might encounter while on vacation.
Although Greece still has a level 1 advisory, which places the country among the safest where American travelers are only advised to exercise normal precautions, the US government updated its advisory summary to share specific concerns.
Petty crime and demonstrations
Starting October 23, 2025, when the US travel advisory to Greece was updated, travelers were warned of petty crime in the country and the impact that demonstrations could have on their stay.
“Petty crime is common, especially in popular tourist locations. Stay aware of your surroundings,” the travel advisory reads.
“Large-scale demonstrations related to the local political situation may occur with little notice,” it is added. “Demonstrations may disrupt transportation and other essential services.”
New entry requirements for Americans traveling to EU
American travelers should also be aware of the new entry requirements for travel to the European Union. Effective October 12, 2025, the EU launched the Entry/Exit System (EES) system, which is being rolled out incrementally and will apply to most foreign visitors traveling to Greece.
As the the US government has advised since October 9, most US citizens visiting Greece for short stays should expect to have their biodata, including fingerprints and facial images, digitally collected at the border upon arrival and departure. EES will be deployed gradually over a period of six months.
US tourism growing in Greece
The popularity of Greece among US travelers has been on the rise in recent years. Airlines in 2025 increased the number of direct weekly flights on new and existing routes between the two countries, and the numbers of American travelers to Greece is projected to continue to grow in 2026, as more direct routes are to be launched.
Thus, the US is considered one of the most promising markets for Greek tourism and a key driver of luxury tourism in Greece. According to the latest data from the Bank of Greece, US tourists increased their spending by 20.6 percent to approximately €1.17 million ($1.36 million) between January and August 2025 compared to the same period of the previous year.
According to a study commissioned by Visa and published in June, the most popular Greek destinations among US travelers are Attica, with 41 percent, the South Aegean, with 31 percent and Crete, with 27 percent.
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