71,648 Turks traveled to Greek Islands via visa-on-arrival

Following the agreement between Greece and Türkiye, a 7-day express visa program initiated in April 2024 revealed its results.
According to police data published in Greek media, 339,985 visitors traveled from Türkiye to Greek islands in 2024, of which 71,648 utilized the "visa-on-arrival" program.
Lesbos led with 28,734 visitors, followed by Chios with 26,337 and Samos with 16,577 under the express visa scheme. Greek tourism professionals advocate for extending the agreement, set to end on March 31, 2025, arguing it should become permanent. They anticipate a surge in visitor numbers in 2025.
Greek media highlights significant demand for Ramadan Bayram in late March and notes Turkish travelers visiting even during the "off-season" in January.
Increase in Land Crossings to Greece
According to a Habertürk report, land crossings from Türkiye to Greece rose notably in 2024. Data from the Greek Tourism Confederation showed that in the first 11 months of 2024, crossings exceeded all of 2023 by 29.5%, reaching 1,092,530 travelers.
In 2024, Greece’s tourism revenue was approximately €22 billion, approaching its record-breaking 2023 figure of 35 million tourists. Meanwhile, Türkiye set a target of 60 million visitors and $60 billion (€58.3 billion) in revenue for 2024, later revising the visitor target to 61 million in December. Per capita tourism income in Türkiye was $1,000 (€972), compared to €630 in Greece.