Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni held a series of meetings in London with representatives of the British tourism market, airlines and leading international media outlets, aiming to strengthen Greece’s presence in the UK market, further expand air connectivity and highlight the prospects of Greek tourism throughout the year.
The British market remains Greece’s leading source market in terms of travel receipts, with demand for Greece strengthening significantly both in arrivals and tourism revenues.
Specifically, in 2025, arrivals from the UK increased by 7.6%, while travel receipts recorded an impressive rise of 18.5%.
During her meeting with Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2 and Jet2holidays, discussions focused on developments in the British tourism market, the impact of international geopolitical uncertainty on the travel sector and the prospects for strengthening the company’s presence in Greece.
At the same time, the challenges facing the international tourism market due to the situation in the Middle East, and particularly its impact on the United Kingdom, were also discussed. British travelers are currently making bookings much closer to their departure dates, opting for late bookings while seeking new opportunities. Heapy underlined that Jet2 continues to invest in the Greek market, which remains of strategic importance for the group.
Particular reference was made to Thessaloniki, with discussions focusing on the city’s potential for further development as a year-round city-break destination, including through connections from London Gatwick Airport.
Subsequently, during a meeting with British Airways and BA Holidays, strong demand for Greece was confirmed, with positive momentum in the first quarter showing a 13% increase, while the airline’s flight operations from Heathrow Airport have increased by 6%.
It was noted that demand from high-end clientele remains particularly stable, proving more resilient to market fluctuations.
The discussions also highlighted the growing trend toward last-minute bookings, accompanied by an increased need for trust and stability in the market. It was further stressed that flight scheduling to Greece remains stable, with no indications of disruptions to connectivity.
Following Greece’s announcement regarding the Entry/Exit System (EES), positive shifts were observed in booking trends, with June performance recording an increase of 2.8%.
Special emphasis was also placed on Thessaloniki, with the aim of further strengthening its profile as a city-break destination and extending the tourism season through November, based on sustainable and stable growth.
In addition, discussions covered the inclusion of Santorini in promotional initiatives, with emphasis on sustainable initiatives and experiences that could be incorporated into BA Holidays’ programs.
Within the framework of the meetings, the expansion of cooperation between the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) and Jet2 as well as BA/BA Holidays was also discussed, aiming to further boost demand for Greece in the British market.
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