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Cruise Industry Contributes €3.1 Billion to Greek Economy

The economic impact of the cruise industry in Greece reached record levels in 2024, confirming its role as a strong pillar of the national economy. According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) latest Economic Impact Report for the year 2024, conducted by Oxford Economics, the industry generated €3.1 billion in total economic output and contributed €1.5 billion to Greece's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
This marks significant year-on-year growth. "The economic contribution of cruising in Greece has almost tripled in only three years, reaching €3.1 billion in 2024 from €1.4 billion in 2022 and €2 billion in 2023”, said Maria Deligianni, Regional Director, Eastern Mediterranean, CLIA.
The industry's contribution to GDP increased almost by 50%, rising to €1.5 billion in 2024, from €973 million in 2023.
Employment also saw a substantial increase, with total jobs support rising from 22,600 in 2023 to 33,000 in 2024, an addition of more than 10,000 jobs within a single year, including direct, indirect, and induced employment. In more detail, jobs generated by the cruise industry in Greece comprise 17,000 expenditure-linked roles (direct), 1,000 within cruise lines (direct), 10,000 indirect positions, and 5,000 induced jobs.
The cruise ecosystem creates jobs across a wide range of sectors including local businesses, tour operators, travel agencies, port authorities and terminals, port agents, shipbuilding and ship maintenance and suppliers.
Four key activities are associated with the cruise industry’s positive impact on Greece’s economy: passenger and crew spending in port destinations, cruise line purchases, wage-linked spending of cruise industry staff residing in Greece, and ship- and capacity-building. Passenger and crew spending was the largest contributor to GDP, accounting for €915 million, which represented 59% of the industry’s total GDP impact in Greece. This was followed by cruise line purchases which made a €586 million contribution to GDP. Meanwhile, cruise line staff wages and ship- and capacity-building contributed €25 million and €24 million to GDP, respectively.
Athens/Piraeus, the region’s busiest port, attracted 1.7 million passenger visits the same year, which included substantial embarkation activity, ranked as the 13th biggest embarkation port globally.
Maria Deligianni added: "Beyond any numbers, our focus is foremost on long-term, responsible growth that benefits both visitors and communities, ensuring cruising remains a positive force for Greece’s future. We remain committed to working closely with government authorities and local communities to promote a model of balanced tourism; one that ensures sustainability, protects our unique natural and cultural heritage, and respects the quality of life of local residents”, she highlighted.
Across Europe, the cruise sector continued its strong upward trajectory, generating €64.1 billion in total economic output and contributing €28.3 billion to European GDP. Also, the jobs created reached 445.000, while €16.4 billion were generated in wages. Despite ongoing cost pressures affecting both consumers and travel providers, the industry maintained strong economic activity in 2024, supported by exceptionally high passenger demand.
Globally, cruise activity remained strong, generating a total economic output of $198.8 and contributing $98.5 billion to global gross domestic product (GDP). $1.8 million jobs were generated worldwide and $60.1 billion were generated in wages.