Greece continues to rank among the leading Mediterranean destinations for travel over the next 12 months, reinforcing the strong tourism brand it has built in recent years across major Western European markets and further improving its international image.
According to the latest findings, Greece places third among preferred outbound travel destinations in both Germany and Italy, fourth in France and the United Kingdom, and sixth in Spain. Compared with 2024, the country has gained one position in the UK and Spanish markets, a notable development given that the United Kingdom and Germany together represent Greece’s most important source markets for inbound tourism in terms of both visitor numbers and revenue. In the remaining markets examined, Greece’s ranking remained stable.
The data come from a study published in January 2026 by the Institute of the Greek Tourism Confederation (INSETE) titled “Brand Greece: How attractive is Greece as a tourism destination? A comparison with competing Mediterranean destinations.” The research focuses on five key European markets—Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Spain and Italy—and is based on surveys conducted by GWI in two waves during 2025, involving 7,402 respondents, as well as comparable research carried out in 2024. The study examines travel intentions for the next 12 months, including the peak summer period that is critical for Mediterranean destinations. Collectively, these five markets generate almost half of Greece’s inbound tourism revenue, based on official data from the Bank of Greece for 2023 and 2024.
Across all markets surveyed, Greece features within the top five destinations that Europeans are considering for international travel, ranking third or fourth in most cases. Spain is the only market where Greece falls just outside the top five, in sixth position, although even there it has improved its standing compared with the previous year. Importantly, in both the UK and Spanish markets, the difference in preference between Greece and the destination immediately above it is only around two percentage points, indicating strong competitive momentum.
In Germany, Italy and Spain lead the rankings, with Greece securing third place and attracting close to one in five German travelers considering trips abroad. In France, Spain and Italy again dominate, followed by Portugal, while Greece holds fourth place. Among British travelers, Spain and Italy top the list, followed by France, with Greece close behind in fourth position. In Spain itself, Italy and France lead, with Portugal also ranking ahead of Greece, while in Italy, Spain and France take the top two positions and Greece ranks third.
The findings are particularly significant given Greece’s geographical position. Unlike Spain, France or Italy, which benefit from extensive cross-border road travel, Greece relies far more heavily on air connectivity. Despite this structural disadvantage, Greece continues to perform strongly in Western European markets, underscoring the strength and recognisability of its tourism offering. The study also notes that in the Italian and Spanish markets, other Mediterranean competitors such as Croatia and Turkey do not feature in the top ten preferred destinations.
Commenting on the results, INSETE General Director Elias Kikilias said that Greece’s tourism brand has now reached a mature phase within an increasingly competitive Mediterranean landscape dominated by Spain and Italy. He stressed that future success will depend on strengthening sustainability and resilience, safeguarding the identity of destinations, and further diversifying the tourism product through a long-term, coordinated strategy that aligns public and private sector efforts.
