August, the landmark period for Greek tourism, erstwhile again confirmed its relation arsenic the highest question play astatine the 14 determination airports managed by Fraport Greece. Passenger postulation roseate by 4% compared to past year, with much than 6.78 cardinal travelers passing done the airports successful conscionable 1 month. However, down the wide growth, trends varied importantly from airdrome to airport, reflecting shifting balances connected Greece’s tourism map.
August: the season’s peak
The strongest show came from Kavala airport, which astir doubled its home postulation (+94.1%), pushing its full effect up by 11.2%. Significant maturation was besides recorded successful Chania (+6.7%), Corfu (+5.3%), and Thessaloniki (+9%), with the Macedonian capital—also serving arsenic a gateway to Halkidiki—welcoming implicit 910,000 passengers successful a azygous month. Positive results were besides seen successful Rhodes (+4.8%), Kos (+3.0%), Skiathos (+9.6%), and Mytilene (+7.6%).
In contrast, Mykonos and Santorini registered losses. Mykonos dropped 7% successful home postulation and remained astir level wide (+0.2%), portion Santorini posted the steepest decline, with -9.4% less passengers compared to August 2024. Kefalonia besides slipped somewhat (-0.6%).
January–August: a affirmative wide picture
Over the archetypal 8 months of the year, Fraport Greece recorded a full of 26.3 cardinal passengers, an summation of 2.6% compared to the aforesaid play successful 2024. Thessaloniki stood retired with maturation of 7.6%, surpassing 5.27 cardinal passengers and confirming its relation arsenic the country’s second-largest airport. Chania (+4.7%), Corfu (+4.8%), Kos (+2.5%), Mytilene (+3.5%), and Skiathos (+6.6%) besides moved upward.
By contrast, Santorini suffered a melodramatic driblet (-16%), losing much than 329,000 passengers compared to past year. Mykonos besides posted losses (-0.9%), reinforcing the consciousness of fatigue successful Greece’s 2 astir saturated land destinations.
Overall, airports successful Cluster A (Thessaloniki, Chania, Corfu, Zakynthos, Aktio, Kefalonia, Kavala) grew by 5.5%, portion airports successful Cluster B (Rhodes, Kos, Mykonos, Santorini, Skiathos, Samos, Mytilene) recorded a diminution of 1%. This divergence shows that much “mature” and commercialized destinations are nether greater pressure, portion regions with much country for growth—such arsenic Crete, Thessaloniki, and the Ionian Islands—continue to summation marketplace share.
Flights: more, but unevenly spread
In August, a full of 48,450 flights were operated, up 2.8% year-on-year. Over the January–August period, flights accrued by 1.8%, exceeding 199,800. Growth was driven chiefly by Thessaloniki (+6.2% flights year-to-date), portion Santorini (-11.8%) and Mykonos (-4.4%) posted important losses.
The connection for tourism
The representation astatine Fraport’s airports confirms that this year’s play is moving successful a affirmative absorption overall, but with crisp differences depending connected destination. Strong request for Crete, the Ionian Islands, and Northern Greece—often fueled by home connections serving long-haul passengers transiting done Athens—has acted arsenic a counterweight to losses astatine the over-saturated islands of Mykonos and Santorini.
The situation going guardant is twofold: managing overtourism pressures successful the Cyclades islands portion harnessing the momentum successful emerging destinations that amusement imaginable for further growth.
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