Greece reports tourism surge, pushes investment reforms and tackles housing and safety challenges

Greece led Europe in the first half of 2026 with a 38.3 % rise in international arrivals and a 64.3 % jump in tourist spending, surpassing Italy and Malta, according to the European Travel Commission’s quarterly report.

Deputy Foreign Minister Haris Theoharis told the Economist’s 30th Government Roundtable that reliability has become Greece’s core investment advantage. He highlighted the country’s fiscal stability, digital reforms and strategic position as a gateway to South‑East Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean, and outlined a plan to attract high‑value, productivity‑enhancing projects through coordinated economic diplomacy.

The European Commission, in its 2026‑2027 recommendations, urged Greece to cut 1,236 tax exemptions, address the housing‑affordability squeeze, and implement measures against drought, while keeping public‑finances within limits and boosting energy‑ and transport‑infrastructure projects.

Additional economic signals show a record $12.86 billion of foreign direct investment in 2025 (UNCTAD), Euro‑zone inflation projected to stay above target through 2027, a housing market where renters now comprise 30.3 % of households, a drop in dangerous road‑safety violations in Western Greece, and the launch of a major air‑traffic‑management upgrade covering 31 airports.