Greek visa‑on‑arrival scheme boosts Turkish tourism to Aegean islands

Greek visa‑on‑arrival Turkish tourists Aegean islands Kyriakos Mitsotakis 1.5 million visitors

Greece introduced a visa‑on‑arrival programme for Turkish citizens in April 2024. The scheme initially covered ten Aegean islands and was expanded to twelve, allowing visitors to stay up to seven days on the participating islands without obtaining a Schengen visa in advance. The visa cannot be extended and does not permit onward travel to mainland Greece or any other Schengen country.

Bank of Greece data show that Turkish arrivals rose to about 1.5 million in 2025, up from 1.2 million in 2024. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called the programme “particularly successful” and said both governments intend to renew it. Tourists cite the ease of entry, high inflation at home and the economic benefit to island economies as key reasons for the surge.

The islands covered are Chios, Kalymnos, Kastellorizo, Kos, Leros, Lesvos, Limnos, Patmos, Rhodes, Samos, Samothraki and Symi.

Entities

Aegean islands of Greece · Bank of Greece · Emirhan Gurses · Ferryscanner · Greece · Greek Aegean islands · Greek government · Ikra Altumsek · Kyriakos Mitsotakis · Turkey · Turkish citizens · Turkish tourists

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 8 SOURCES] Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the programme was “particularly successful”. fr.euronews.com · es.euronews.com · gr.euronews.com · information.tv5monde.com · fr.news.yahoo.com · +3 more
[● 9 SOURCES] The scheme originally covered ten Greek islands and was later expanded to twelve. fr.euronews.com · information.tv5monde.com · fr.news.yahoo.com · es.euronews.com · gr.euronews.com · +3 more
[● 6 SOURCES] Greece introduced a visa‑on‑arrival scheme for Turkish citizens in April 2024. fr.euronews.com · information.tv5monde.com · fr.news.yahoo.com · es.euronews.com · gr.euronews.com
[● 9 SOURCES] The visa‑on‑arrival allows Turkish citizens to stay up to seven days on participating islands without a Schengen visa. fr.euronews.com · information.tv5monde.com · fr.news.yahoo.com · es.euronews.com · gr.euronews.com · +3 more
[● 9 SOURCES] The scheme does not permit travel to mainland Greece or other Schengen countries. fr.euronews.com · information.tv5monde.com · fr.news.yahoo.com · es.euronews.com · gr.euronews.com · +3 more
[● 6 SOURCES] About 1.5 million Turkish visitors went to Greece in 2025, up from 1.2 million in 2024. fr.euronews.com · information.tv5monde.com · fr.news.yahoo.com · es.euronews.com · gr.euronews.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Ferry bookings from Turkey to Greek islands rose by roughly 54% year‑on‑year between January and July 2026.
[● 2 SOURCES] Turkish student Emirhan Gurses said the visa‑on‑arrival makes visiting Greek islands easy. fr.euronews.com · information.tv5monde.com
[● 8 SOURCES] The visa‑on‑arrival scheme applies to the Greek islands Chios, Kalymnos, Kastellorizo, Kos, Leros, Lesvos, Limnos, Patmos, Rhodes, Samos, Samothraki and Symi. fr.euronews.com · es.euronews.com · gr.euronews.com · information.tv5monde.com · fr.news.yahoo.com · +3 more
[● 8 SOURCES] Greece and Turkey intend to renew the visa‑on‑arrival programme. gazeta.mk · www.enca.com · es.euronews.com · fr.euronews.com · gr.euronews.com · +3 more
[● 8 SOURCES] Nearly 1.5 million Turkish visitors went to Greece in 2025, up from 1.2 million in 2024. gazeta.mk · www.enca.com · es.euronews.com · fr.euronews.com · gr.euronews.com · +3 more
[● 8 SOURCES] Greece introduced a visa‑on‑arrival programme for Turkish citizens in April 2024. gazeta.mk · www.enca.com · es.euronews.com · fr.euronews.com · gr.euronews.com · +3 more