The primary objective of this research is to examine the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Greek tourism industry. To achieve this goal, a comparative analysis with other international destinations is conducted to provide context and insights. Specifically, the analysis will cover data for the years 2019,2020 and 2021, highlighting the impact of the pandemic on renowned destinations such as Turkey, Spain and Cyprus. By comparing these trends and outcomes across these destinations , we aim to gain a deeper understanding of the specific challenges and implications faced by the Greek tourism sector as a result of the pandemic.

For the presentation of the data and the comparative analysis, the data used was collected from reliable organizations such as the INSENTE intelligence center, the OECD organization, and the World Tourism Organization. The analysis findings of the four countries, Greece, Cyprus, Turkey, and Spain, showed that Turkey was the least affected by the pandemic, recovering first in 2021. In contrast, Greece came second, which was found to be due to the policy for a COVID-free country promoted abroad. Cyprus and Spain followed with less growth than the previous two.

Finally, the research discusses the conclusions and provides suggestions for the tourism industry.