By Antonis Tsimplakis

Cruise tourism in Greece is experiencing significant growth this year, with Piraeus emerging as the central hub and primary home port of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Despite the optimistic signs, the country continues to undervalue this sector, stressed the president of the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vasilis Korkidis, during a meeting with organizations in the municipality of Piraeus.

According to the chamber’s data, Greece welcomed more than 40 million visitors in 2024, of which 8 million were cruise passengers, corresponding to approximately 2 million travellers in this sector. Piraeus, Santorini and Mykonos accounted for 55% of the total movement, recording high traffic.

In 2025, passenger traffic at the port of Piraeus is expected to increase by 22% compared to the previous year.

Korkidis pointed out that the development of the cruise industry is driven not only by geopolitical factors, but also by Greece’s strategic position and the appeal of its tourism offerings.

“Greece is the third largest destination country in Europe, after Italy and Spain, with over 5,500 ship calls per year,” he stressed, calling for better infrastructure, enhanced services and well-organized excursions to manage visitor flows more effectively.

However, he sounded the alarm about the distance that separates Greece from the rest of European countries: “While the turnover of the sector in the EU exceeds 55 billion euros, Greece earns less than 1 billion per year – this shows that we are lagging behind somewhere.”

Environmental footprint – Social dimension

Special mention was made of the environmental footprint of cruise ships. According to a report by the think tank Transport & Environment, Piraeus ranks third in Europe in terms of atmospheric pollution, behind Barcelona and Civitavecchia in Rome. In European cities such as Marseille, Livorno and Valencia, there is a growing backlash from residents who believe that cruising deteriorates the problem of overtourism without substantial reciprocal benefits for local communities.

In the case of Piraeus, tourism professionals, such as hoteliers and restaurant owners, express their concern about the limited economic return from cruise passengers, who often do not consume local products and services.

Piraeus Port Authority’s role – Proposals for the future

The Piraeus Port Authority has submitted a series of proposals aimed at the comprehensive development of Piraeus as a cruise port, as well as at the diffusion of benefits to the local economy:

1. Creation of a port “cluster” providing services to cruise ships.

2. Development of a digital application for promoting tourism in Piraeus.

3. Physical presence of officers providing information during passenger disembarkation.

4. Interactive tourist signs and routes within the city.

5. Promotion of pedestrian and cyclist-friendly tourist routes.

6. Organization of cultural events at the port.

7. Performances at the Municipal Theater of Piraeus specifically for tourists.

8. Strengthening the presence of Greek products on board.

Actions to boost exports through ship catering, with the “Greek Cuisine on Board” initiative, which was organized with FORUM S.A. and other organizations are also very important.