Australia, Canada, and the United States are Greece’s strongest long-haul tourism markets, while China and India offer significant potential for future growth, according to a new tourism study.
The five non-European markets collectively account for more than 11 percent of Greece’s total tourism receipts. However, substantial differences in travel intentions, destination awareness, and vacation preferences mean that each market requires a distinct approach.
The findings come from a study by INSETE, the research institute of the Greek Tourism Confederation, titled “The Profile of Important Markets for Greek Tourism, Part Two: Long-Haul Markets—US, Canada, China, India and Australia.” Conducted in early 2026, the research examined the factors influencing vacation decisions and travelers’ intentions for the following twelve months. The period covered by the survey includes the summer, the most important season for Greek tourism.
The preference for flights lasting more than six hours and vacations of at least five days indicates that Greece has room to increase its share of long-distance international travel. Its current position, however, varies considerably among the five countries studied.
Australia, Canada, and the US rank Greece highest for long-haul tourism
Greece records its strongest destination rankings in Australia, Canada, and the United States. Among Australian travelers considering countries to visit during the next twelve months, Greece ranks 12th, with 9 percent identifying it as a possible destination. The country also ranks 12th in Canada, where 8 percent of respondents are considering a visit. In the United States, Greece places 13th, also with 8 percent.
Greece’s position is weaker in China and India, where travelers generally give greater priority to destinations within Asia. It ranks 23rd among Chinese respondents, with 6 percent considering a visit, and 37th in India, with 4 percent. China nevertheless recorded the most notable increase for Greece. The country rose eight places from 31st in 2025, when it attracted the interest of 4 percent of Chinese respondents. In India, Greece fell 11 positions from the previous year. The underlying decline was relatively small, however, amounting to 1.6 percentage points.
Greece’s position against Mediterranean competitors
The study also compares Greece with six competing Mediterranean destinations: France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, and Croatia.
France and Italy occupy the two leading positions across all five long-haul markets. France ranks first among travelers from China and India, while Italy leads in Australia, Canada, and the United States. Greece performs particularly well in Australia. It ranks third among the seven Mediterranean countries examined, placing one position ahead of Spain.
Spain occupies third place in the United States, Canada, and China, with Greece following in fourth. In India, Greece ranks fifth among the Mediterranean destinations. Portugal, Turkey, and Croatia place below Greece in the comparative rankings.
Australia presents strongest immediate opportunity
INSETE identifies Australia as the most mature and immediately accessible long-haul market for Greece. Australian respondents combine a high intention to travel internationally with a positive perception of Greece and a preference for longer vacations. Greece also achieves its highest level of destination consideration in Australia at 9 percent.
The United States and Canada remain important markets with an interest in culture, gastronomy, coastal experiences, and high-quality tourism products. These preferences correspond closely with several of Greece’s principal tourism offerings.
The report’s findings suggest that Greece has an established foundation in all three markets, although further growth will depend on adapting its promotion to the expectations of travelers in each country.
China records significant improvement
Although Greece remains outside the fifteen most widely considered destinations among Chinese travelers, its eight-place rise since 2025 indicates stronger recognition within the market. China therefore represents a significant future opportunity. According to the study, further progress would require targeted promotional activity and improved air connectivity.
Chinese respondents favor vacations centered on nature, followed by beach destinations. This pattern creates opportunities for Greece to promote its natural landscapes and coastline alongside its established cultural attractions. The proportion of Chinese respondents planning an overseas vacation in the next twelve months stands at 56 percent, the second-lowest rate among the five markets.
India offers greatest long-term potential
India currently gives Greece its lowest overall ranking, but the study identifies the country as a major long-term opportunity for Greek tourism.
Several destinations ranking as many as nine places above Greece are separated from it by no more than one percentage point. This relatively narrow difference indicates that improvements in recognition could lead to a considerable rise in Greece’s position. India also records the highest intention of travel abroad. Seventy-five percent of respondents plan to take an international vacation in the next twelve months.
The report highlights the expansion of India’s middle class, demand for new destinations, and the introduction of direct air connections between Greece and India as factors that could support further growth. Converting this potential into visitor numbers would require a strategy specifically designed for the Indian market, supported by stronger promotion of Greece as a long-haul destination.
Travel intentions vary across Greece’s five long-haul tourism markets
The likelihood of taking an overseas vacation differs sharply among the countries studied.
India records the highest percentage, at 75 percent, followed by Australia at 71 percent and Canada at 68 percent. Travel intentions are lower in China at 56 percent and the United States at 54 percent. As in the previous year, American respondents report the lowest levels of intention and preparation for overseas vacations. China presents a broadly similar pattern.
Preferred vacation types also vary. Americans, Canadians, and Australians place trips to destinations with major sights and attractions first, followed by beach vacations. Chinese and Indian travelers give priority to nature-based trips, with beach vacations in second place.
Greece needs different strategies across long-haul tourism markets
The findings show that Greece possesses tourism assets that correspond with the principal interests of travelers across all five countries. These include cultural attractions, beaches, gastronomy, natural environments, and locally rooted experiences. Their relative importance, however, differs by market.
Australia offers the strongest immediate opportunity, while Canada and the United States provide an established base for further development. China’s improved ranking points to rising awareness, whereas India combines limited current visibility with the highest intention to travel abroad.
Greece’s ability to expand its presence in these markets will therefore depend on tailored communication, stronger international connectivity, and tourism products aligned with the preferences of each group of travelers.
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