Greece logged another record-shy but solid summer month in July 2026, with provisional figures from the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) showing 6.61 million arrivals and 31.70 million overnight stays across hotels, campsites and short-stay rentals. That's a 2.5% rise in arrivals and a 2.0% rise in nights compared with July 2025 — growth of roughly 158,000 more visitors and 624,000 extra nights in a single month.

The interesting part is who's driving it. Foreign travellers accounted for just over 80% of arrivals (about 5.30 million) and nearly 88% of all overnight stays (27.78 million). Greek domestic travellers, by contrast, made around 1.30 million arrivals, up only 0.8%, with nights up a mere 0.4%. International demand grew faster on both counts: foreign arrivals rose 2.9% and their nights 2.2%.

Foreign visitors also stay longer. The average international guest spent 5.2 nights in the country in July, against 3.0 nights for Greeks — a gap that holds across every accommodation type. In hotels, foreigners made up 81.1% of arrivals and a striking 89.3% of overnight stays; in short-stay rentals, 79.6% of arrivals and 85.6% of nights. Campsites are the one place Greeks hold their own, making up nearly 40% of arrivals and 44% of nights, though foreigners still form the majority. Overall average stay across all visitors held steady at 4.8 days, unchanged year on year.

What does this mean if you're planning a Greek holiday? The figures confirm that July and August remain peak international season, with occupancy and demand concentrated around foreign visitors — so shoulder months like June and September often mean better prices and thinner crowds without sacrificing the weather. The strength of the short-stay rental market also means plenty of apartment and villa options beyond the traditional hotel scene, while the healthy campsite sector remains a genuinely local-flavoured, budget-friendly alternative where Greeks camp in large numbers alongside international visitors.

For the industry, the message is that Greece's summer depends heavily on international markets, with foreign guests not only arriving in greater numbers but staying longer and spreading across every type of accommodation. The data are provisional for 2026, so final numbers may shift slightly, but the direction of travel is clear.