Greece 2023 Cruise Tourism Report Card: Record Revenues and Passenger Numbers

Home News Greece 2023 Cruise Tourism Report Card: Record Revenues and Passenger Numbers

09.05.2024

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Greece 2023 Cruise Tourism Report Card: Record Revenues and Passenger Numbers

Greece recorded a significant growth in the cruise tourism sector in 2023, overturning the records of previous years. According to the data shared by the Bank of Greece and the Association of Greek Ports (ELIME), the number of cruise ships docking at ports across the country and tourism revenues increased at remarkable rates.

In 2023, the total tourism revenue left by cruise passengers increased by 84.1% compared to the previous year and reached 908.4 million Euros. Piraeus Port had the largest share in this increase with 47.8%, followed by Corfu and Santorini with 13.3% and 8.5% respectively.

Cruise ship traffic also increased significantly. The number of cruise ships increased from 4,598 in 2022 to 5,152 in 2023. The passenger capacity of these ships also increased, with the total number of passengers increasing by 61.1 per cent to 3,484,000.

The ports of Santorini, Piraeus and Mykonos were the most popular destinations for cruise ships. Santorini attracted 15.5 per cent of the total ship traffic, while Piraeus and Mykonos accounted for 14.8 per cent and 14.5 per cent, respectively.

The total number of cruise passenger visits increased by 55 per cent year-on-year to 6,964 thousand. The number of overnight stays per passenger also increased by 121.5%, which contributed significantly to the increase in Greece's revenue from cruise tourism.

According to ELIME data, a total of 49 ports in Greece welcomed 5,230 cruise ships in 2023, an increase of 9.41% compared to 2022. 7 million 3 thousand 150 passengers disembarked from these ships, which indicates an increase of 51.26%.

With this data, Greece reached a milestone in cruise tourism in 2023, consolidating its leadership in the sector.