A particularly revealing picture of the real state of Greek maritime tourism — a picture full of contradictions, missed opportunities, but also potential for strategic upgrading — was presented by Aimilios Melis, Head of Strategy Services at PwC Greece, at the “Reimagine Greece 2025” conference of Kathimerini. The study on the yachting market was based on AIS data for the entire year and highlighted the paradox of a country that leads boat traffic in the Mediterranean but fails to convert this momentum into high revenue and institutional advancement.
Greece a global yachting power but without infrastructure
According to PwC’s data, Greece has established itself as one of the strongest yachting markets in Europe and internationally. The country ranks 4th in the Mediterranean in absolute number of vessels, behind only Spain, Italy, and France; 3rd in super yachts over 24 meters, surpassing many traditional markets and falling behind only Italy and France/Monaco; and 2nd globally in traffic, confirming that Greece is a top destination for yachting.
However, despite the huge volume of traffic, the country ranks last in the ratio of vessels to available berthing spots. Existing infrastructure is insufficient, especially for vessels over 24 or 48 meters, while the areas under greatest pressure — the Ionian, Peloponnese, Attica, and the Dodecanese — face severe congestion.
The shortage of berths and modern marinas is not simply an issue of service but of lost economic value: demand exists, but Greece cannot capitalize on it to the extent that it could.
“We are giving away revenue”: The pricing distortion of the Greek market
The PwC study also highlights a second critical issue: the lack of a commercial strategy and the mismatch between pricing and the value offered.
Specifically, berthing fees are very low, especially for large vessels; pricing is uniform regardless of location, demand level, or quality of services; and the tax burden is extremely low: although VAT is set at 13%, for large vessels it effectively ends up at 5.2%–6.5%.
At the same time, competing markets such as Croatia maintain a full 13% VAT, while other Mediterranean countries start at 20%–22%.
The result is telling: competitors earn 2 to 4 times more per charter than Greece. This is not only a loss of revenue but also a downgrading of the overall value of the Greek product.
PwC’s proposals for a new yachting strategy
Aimilios Melis stressed that Greece must adopt best practices implemented by Italy, France, and other mature markets. Among the proposals:
Sea Moorings – organized offshore anchorage
Designated points offering services, movement control, fee collection, and protection of sensitive ecosystems.
Zoning – clear definition of permitted and prohibited areas
For the protection of swimmers, underwater antiquities, and environmentally sensitive zones.
Digital booking platforms
Common abroad but almost non-existent in Greece, these would ensure transparency, planning, and better capacity management.
Winter berthing
Developing winter berthing could extend the tourism season and multiply revenues.
The central message of the presentation was that yachting is not only about “cosmopolitan destinations” but has the capacity to distribute wealth across the entire country, supporting islands and coastal areas that lack other forms of high-spending tourism.
Ports, the second major challenge for Greek tourism
The need to upgrade the country’s ports was highlighted by the President of the Association of Passenger Shipping Companies (SEEN), Dionysis Theodoratos. He vividly described the ageing of port infrastructure, noting that many ports were built half a century ago, with insufficient modernisation.
He explained that roughly 90 islands without airports depend exclusively on their port, yet companies are required to sign a statement declaring the port “safe.” At the same time, port funds collect 30 million euros annually from passengers and 15 million from companies, without these resources being reinvested in improvement works.
Interventions are fragmented, while new ports are practically not being built.
Mr Theodoratos emphasised that travellers’ experience at ports is extremely poor compared to the advancement of the vessels themselves. Lack of waiting areas, inadequate safety, difficult access, and absence of modern services — a picture that is incompatible with the rising demand for island tourism and ferry travel.
Greece needs a new model of infrastructure and strategy
The discussion on maritime tourism and the state of ports and airports highlighted a common thread: Greece possesses comparative advantages that few countries can match, but lacks the infrastructure, mechanisms, and strategy needed to fully leverage its potential.
The yachting sector and ferry transport have the capacity to spread benefits across the entire country, support islands and regional economies, and create high added value. For this to happen, a modern infrastructure framework, clear regulatory policy, new commercial strategy, effective local governance, and investment in ports are required.
The message from the experts was clear: Greece does not lack demand, it lacks organisation. If this changes, the country can claim the share of revenue and development that corresponds to it in a global market that continues to grow.
