Crete remains the country’s top tourist destination, according to the October 2025 Statistical Bulletin of INSETE, which reflects a clear upward trend in air arrivals in the nine months of January – September.
Overall, the island welcomed over 6.1 million air arrivals, combining international and domestic traffic, with an increase of 4.6% compared to 2024. This development confirms for another year the resilience and continuous demand that Crete presents in international markets.
Strong performance at the island’s airports
International arrivals in Crete amounted to 4.98 million passengers, showing an increase of 219 thousand or +4.6% compared to last year.
In detail, Heraklion Airport welcomed 3.56 million passengers (+5.3%), while Chania Airport recorded 1.42 million arrivals (+2.8%).
At this point, it should be emphasized that Crete recorded the largest percentage of arrivals nationwide, surpassing the Dodecanese (4.1 million arrivals) and the Ionian Islands (3.7 million arrivals). The island remains consistently first in terms of traffic among all geographical units of the country.
Increase in domestic arrivals as well
Domestic air traffic also moved upwards, reaching 1.08 million arrivals, up by +10.7% compared to the corresponding period in 2024.
Specifically, 707.8 thousand arrivals were recorded in Heraklion (+11.5%) and 372.9 thousand in Chania (+9.1%).
This increase confirms the continued strengthening of the island as a domestic tourism destination, with significant mobility from mainland Greece.
Leading force in Greek tourism
According to INSETE, Crete records the highest total of arrivals in the country – more than 6.1 million in the nine months –, surpassing all other regions.
The increase is attributed to stable demand from Europe’s main markets, improved air connections and the lengthening of the tourist season.
In this context, Crete maintains the title of the locomotive of Greek tourism, combining volume, quality and timeless stability in its tourism performance.
