The most recent data from ELSTAT on the evolution of retail turnover, although they do not concern exclusively tourism, give a clear indication of how businesses that are directly or indirectly linked to the tourism product performed.
The picture of the third quarter – the period when tourism demand peaks – highlights sectors that recorded impressive resilience, but also others that showed a decline, reflecting changes in traveler spending. At this point, it should be emphasized that the data comes from the ELSTAT announcement of November 21, 2025.
Strong performance in categories that “touch” tourism consumption
In the third quarter, total retail spending increased by 3% compared to 2024, reaching €19.9 billion. Within this environment, specific tourism-related activities stood out:
-Retail sales of sports equipment increased by 11.6%. This is a sector that benefits particularly from the rise of active tourism, family trips and city breaks.
-Sales of jewelry and watches soared by 34.7%. This momentum is directly linked to high-value consumption by affluent travelers, mainly in mature destinations and islands.
-Toy stores strengthened by 7.8%, an indication of the increased presence of family travelers.
-The category of cosmetics and personal care products recorded a 6.3% increase, with increased demand in airports, city centers and tourist spots.
At the same time, shops selling traditional products, handmade goods and souvenirs also showed increased activity, as the category “other retail sales of new goods” increased by 23%.
Pressures in categories related to tourist catering
On the other hand, certain sectors showed a decline, reflecting that the pressure on the cost of living and the shift of travelers to more careful consumption have had an impact:
Liquor stores recorded a 6% drop.
Retail sales of telecommunications equipment decreased by 8.7%, an indication that consumption is no longer supporting small tourist markets, as was the case in the previous decade.
Fuel stores fell by 4.4%, despite increased mobility, a development linked to the normalization of prices.
How did the regions with a strong tourism profile perform
The geographical analysis is of particular interest:
The South Aegean recorded a 2.3% decrease in retail trade overall. This decline, although small, shows that the dependence on the summer peak creates instabilities in the third quarter when there is no further extension of the season.
Crete moved marginally positively with +1.1% in total retail trade and +1.6% in categories that do not include food and fuel. This picture fits with the steady strengthening of airline seats to Heraklion and Chania for the winter, which is expected to be reflected more clearly in the data for the fourth quarter.
What does all this mean for tourism businesses?
The data shows that the tourism footprint generates significant consumption in specific high-value-added sectors – such as jewelry, cosmetics and sports goods – which contribute directly to the local revenues of tourist destinations.
At the same time, the slight decline in the southern Aegean and the moderate increase in Crete demonstrate that the lengthening of the season and the strengthening of the city break are decisive factors in how the coffers are “written”.
The ELSTAT survey therefore offers a clear picture, as tourist destinations that diversify their product and strengthen winter demand show greater stability in retail cycles – and this is something that, as it seems, will determine the next day of tourism development.
