Greece welcomed 7,429,931 tourists in August 2026, marking a 2.6% increase over August 2025, according to provisional data from the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT). Overnight stays rose by 2.1% year-on-year, reaching 34,685,695 in the peak summer month.
Foreign Visitors Dominate Tourist Arrivals and Overnight Stays
Foreign visitors comprised 76.7% of total arrivals in August 2026 and accounted for 84% of all overnight stays. Greek residents represented 23.3% of arrivals and 16% of overnight stays. This discrepancy illustrates the greater impact of international visitors on the accommodation sector across Greece.
Growth Rates Differ Between Foreign and Greek Tourists
Arrivals of foreign tourists grew 2.9% year-on-year in August 2026, outpacing the 1.7% increase recorded for Greek residents. Overnight
stays followed a similar pattern, with foreign visitors posting a 2.3% rise compared to a 1.2% increase for local travelers.
Rental Accommodations Outpace Hotels and Campsites
Arrivals at rented rooms expanded 5.2% in August 2026, exceeding the 1.5% growth in hotel and campsite arrivals by 3.7 percentage points. Overnight stays in rented accommodations increased 4.6%, significantly higher than the 1.1% rise seen in hotels and campsites.
Foreign guest arrivals in hotels and campsites rose 1.9%, with Greek arrivals increasing 0.5%. Overnight stays at these establishments climbed 1.2% for foreigners and 0.8% for Greeks. Rented rooms showed stronger gains with foreign arrivals growing 5.5%, Greek arrivals 4.2%,
and overnight stays rising 5.1% for foreigners and 2.2% for Greek residents.
Average Length of Stay Stable but Longer for Foreign Tourists
The overall average length of stay in August 2026 held steady at 4.7 days, matching the figure from August 2025. Foreign tourists stayed an average of 5.1 days while Greek residents stayed 3.2 days. This 59% longer stay for foreigners was consistent across both hotels/campsites and rented room accommodations.
In hotels and campsites, foreign visitors stayed 5.1 days on average compared to 3.2 days for Greek guests. In rented rooms, the respective averages were 5.2 days and 3.3 days.
Source and Sector Impact
ELSTAT’s provisional data for August 2026 reinforce the significance
of foreign demand in driving growth in Greece’s tourism industry. The faster increase in arrivals relative to overnight stays and the vigorous expansion of rented room accommodations illustrate shifting patterns in tourist preferences during the summer season.
