Greece welcomed over 156 million overnight stays in 2025, with foreign visitors accounting for 83.8% of them. Yet nearly...

Greece welcomed over 156 million overnight stays in 2025, with foreign visitors accounting for 83.8% of them. Yet nearly half the people who actually live in Greece, 46.6%, cannot afford a single week of vacation, according to official data from ELSTAT. That puts Greece second worst in the entire European Union, behind only Romania at 61.4%. Among Greeks who do not travel at all, 56.4% cite financial reasons as the main barrier. Health limitations account for 20.8%, lack of free time for 16.7%, and a simple preference to stay home for 15.2%. To manage what vacation they can, more than half of Greek residents, 52.1%, opt for free accommodation, staying at relatives' homes or friends' properties rather than paying for hotels or rentals. It functions as an informal social safety net that makes any vacation at all possible for a large portion of the population. The economic squeeze is not easing. In June 2026, general inflation in Greece ran at 4.4%, according to ELSTAT. Transport costs rose 7.2%, and the hotels, cafes, and restaurants category climbed 7.7%, driven largely by price increases in food service. Holiday packages also saw price hikes, with leisure and culture up 1.7%. Meanwhile, the tourism industry keeps growing. Arrivals at tourist accommodations rose 2.8% in 2025 and overnight stays climbed 2.2% compared to the year before, growth driven almost entirely by foreign visitors. Greeks themselves make up just 26.2% of total arrivals and 16.2% of overnight stays. Luxembourg records the lowest share of residents unable to afford a vacation in the EU, at 10.6%, followed by Sweden at 12.4% and the Netherlands at 12.8%. The data paints a sharp contrast. Greece is one of Europe's most visited destinations, yet the people who live there year-round are increasingly priced out of the country's own tourism economy. #Greece #GreekyEconomy #Tourism