Greece Missing Out on €100 Billion Aviation Tourism Market, Industry Warns

Greece risks missing out on a more-than-€100 billion European aviation tourism market annually, industry representatives warned in Athens. Speaking at an event, organizations from Greece’s aviation sector said regulatory obstacles and infrastructure gaps are steering high-spending private aircraft travelers to competing destinations. They argued that general aviation remains underdeveloped despite Greece’s tourism appeal and geography, due to bureaucratic procedures, limited airport infrastructure, and outdated operating rules. The groups cited barriers including scarce aircraft parking, fuel availability issues, restricted airport operating hours, and lengthy prior permission request (PPR) processes, plus regulatory requirements they say are uncommon elsewhere in the Schengen area. They referenced a recent case in which journalists could not land in Paros due to procedural restrictions. The representatives said Greece’s ongoing concession process for the remaining 22 state-managed regional airports could help address these concerns.