More than 70,000 Turks used express visas to visit Greek islands in 2024, figures show

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Roughly 340,000 Turkish citizens and Europeans of Turkish descent visited the islands of the north Aegean for their holidays in 2024, according to figures released by the General Police Directorate of the North Aegean.

Out of a total of 339,985 visitors recorded in 2024, 71,648 took advantage of the seven day ‘express visa’ available to visitors coming from the Turkish coast, while the vast majority visited Lesvos, Chios and Samos. This visa began to apply in April 2024 following an agreement between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“It was an agreement that gave wings to relations on both sides of the Aegean and allowed the development of this major wave of Turkish tourists from the Turkish coast to the islands,” said the General Secretary of the Union of Tourist and Travel Agencies of Lesvos, Aris Lazaris, talking to the ANA-MPA.

Others noted that it increased visits even among those who already had a regular visa, as it allowed mixed companies of people with and without a visa to come to the islands on holiday. For example, more than 30,000 Turkish visitors were European citizens of Turkish descent, who visited Greek islands with Turkish relatives while on holiday in Turkiye.

With the ‘express visa’ option expiring on March 31, local bodies pushing for its renewal as a significant boost to the local economy. There are already clear signs that the wave of tourists from Turkiye could be even bigger than that of 2024, as there are a large number of bookings during muslim religious holidays in March, while even during the low season in January, significant numbers of Turkish citizens visit the islands at the weekend.

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