2018 was another record-breaking year for tourism as Greeks went abroad approximately eight million times between January 1 and December 31.
According to the latest figures available from the Bank of Greece, trips abroad saw an increase of approximately 300 thousand compared to the number in 2017.
The total figure in 2016 was approximately 7.2 million, 800 thousand less than 2018.
The 8-million figure is the biggest ever recorded, but what Greeks spent while abroad did not break the record of €2.7 billion, lasting since 2008.
In 2018 Greeks who decided to visit a destination outside of Greece spent a total of €2.2 billion.
€850 million was spent for leisure purposes, €818 million for business purposes, €130 million for education and the rest for a variety of reasons.
Bulgaria was the most popular country for 2018, with 2.37 million trips, Turkey second with one million, Germany third with 500 thousand, Italy fourth with 405 thousand and the UK fifth with 330 thousand.
In terms of expenses, Greeks spent €232 million in Germany, €206 million in the UK and €197 million in Italy.
According to the Bank of Greece’s data, the average amount spent per person was €275 euros.
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