Chania and Heraklion airports post record tourist arrivals in 2026, survey finds
The Western Crete Tourism Observatory’s Tourism Survey 2026, published on November 5, reports record foreign arrivals at both Chania and Heraklion airports, alongside a reshuffling of the main visitor-origin countries and stable average spending by tourists.
The survey also records a shift in the countries of origin of visitors, with arrivals from Poland and Israel climbing in the rankings. Average visitor income stands at €60,000-70,000, a slight decrease from the previous season that the survey attributes mainly to a rise in Polish and Italian visitors, who tend to have lower incomes.
Chania airport sees record arrivals
According to Fraport-Greece data for the period January-September 2026, Chania airport recorded roughly 1.6 million foreign arrivals, an increase of 8.6% compared with the same period in 2025, when arrivals were about 123,000 lower. The 2025 period had itself been the highest on record until now. Foreign arrivals are expected to exceed 1.7 million by the end of the tourist season.
This year’s growth is attributed entirely to non-Scandinavian visitors, whose arrivals rose 13%. Scandinavian arrivals increased only marginally overall: Norwegian arrivals fell 4%, while Swedish arrivals rose 7.5%, the strongest increase among Scandinavian nationalities.
Among non-Scandinavian visitors, Germans, Britons and Poles posted double-digit growth and took the top three places in total arrivals, with shares of 19%, 13% and 11% respectively. Scandinavians followed with a 32% share. Dutch arrivals rose 28% and Italian arrivals rose 23%. Cypriot arrivals fell 16%, and the low-cost carrier Ryanair is discontinuing its direct Chania-Paphos route for the winter season.
Scandinavian visitors have stabilized at around 30% of total arrivals since the pandemic, down from about 50% previously, while non-Scandinavian arrivals have more than quadrupled since 2010, the survey notes.
Heraklion airport also posts a record
Heraklion Civil Aviation Authority data for January-October 2026 show about 4.2 million foreign arrivals, up 4.1% from roughly 4 million in the same period last year, which had itself been the previous record. Germans, Britons and French nationals together accounted for 56% of total arrivals. Germans remained in first place with a 29% share, up 2.3% from the previous year; Britons held second place with 16%, up 3.2%; and French visitors took third place with 10%, up 1.4%.
Polish arrivals rose to fourth place with a 5.9% share, up 5.6% from the previous period, followed by Dutch arrivals at 4.9%, up 2.7%. Israeli arrivals posted the largest increase, up 18%, rising to sixth place overall. Italian arrivals, at 4%, also grew notably at both airports.
Germany has held first place in arrivals since 2014 and widened its lead over other nationalities, surpassing 1.2 million arrivals in 2026 — almost double the number from Britain, the second-largest market.
Visitor profile: repeat visits and shifting demographics
Nearly half of foreign tourists have visited Western Crete before, the survey found, with two in three Scandinavian visitors reporting previous, often repeated, visits. Recommendations from relatives and friends, along with positive past experience, were the main reasons cited for visiting. Beach amenities were the strongest single motivator, while accommodation quality, a sense of calm, gastronomy, hospitality and the landscape also contributed to the destination’s appeal.
A quarter of visitors reported high income above €100,000. Half of foreign tourists are aged 25-44, while the survey recorded fewer visitors under 24 and more visitors aged 55 and over. Seven in ten foreign tourists travel with a partner, with or without children, staying nine or more nights, mainly in 4- and 5-star hotels, although that share has declined as rented apartments, villas and other short-term rentals have become more common.
Short-term rentals are concentrated mainly in Chania town, where 45% of tourists spent at least one night; the same share stayed in hotels in the resort areas of Agia Marina and Platanias, while 20% chose rental villas in the Kolymbari area. More than half of tourists, 55%, chose no meal package at their accommodation, while all-inclusive and half-board packages saw a small decline, even as satisfaction with the services on offer remained high.
The survey found that 43% of tourists used AI tools, mainly to find attractions and plan routes, and also found them useful for food, transport and practical information.
Beach crowding and growing interest in agrotourism
Visitors most often went to the beaches of Elafonisi, Falasarna and Balos, though at lower rates than last year because of overcrowding at these sites, which the survey says points to a need for sustainable-management measures to protect local ecosystems. Travellers interested in beaches in Crete increasingly combined their visits with other activities, as double-digit shares of foreign tourists also visited agrotourism businesses such as historic olive groves, wineries, olive mills, olive-oil museums and the Botanical Park of Crete. Agrotourism destinations were preferred mostly by repeat visitors, while beaches were favored more by first-time visitors to Western Crete.
Visitors interested in broader activities around the island can explore the range of experiences in Crete, which the survey links to growing demand for gastronomic and agrotourism outings. Most tourist movement relied on rental cars: 56% of visitors used one, averaging 7.2 rentals each, a higher rate than the previous year, while bus and taxi use declined. Those planning similar trips can compare options to rent a car in Crete ahead of travel.
Satisfaction and spending
On satisfaction with services, the destination scored highest for its food experience and the friendliness of local residents, both rated above 90%, with full satisfaction also reported for restaurants and hospitality venues. Mid-range ratings pointed to adequate but improvable services, particularly general cleanliness, the road network and bus punctuality and frequency. The survey identified the destination’s functional infrastructure — traffic flow, signage, parking and bicycle lanes — as the main point of friction in the visitor experience.
Average spending per visitor across the main expense categories did not change significantly from the previous year and remained around €1,000 per trip. Food accounted for 50% of total spending, car rental for 30%, and purchases for the remaining 20%. The survey notes that the destination’s spending profile has not changed and that visitors rate Western Crete’s value for money at around 90% satisfaction.
Local products and authentic hospitality
Foreign tourists reported high satisfaction with the quality of local food products and this year bought larger quantities and a wider variety than in previous seasons. Olive oil and local cheeses remained the top preferences, particularly among first-time visitors, with nearly two in three foreign visitors purchasing them. Cretan honey and raki, together with wine, were preferred by almost half of tourists, mainly repeat visitors, while purchases of aromatic herbs, local natural juice and traditional rusks also rose notably.
More than 70% of foreign tourists bought local agricultural products mainly at restaurants, supermarkets and grocery stores, while 40% bought them at specialized local-product shops, local markets and open markets selling directly from producers. Only about one in four bought such products from their hotel, a low share the survey says reflects that local products, even where available at accommodations, are not prominently displayed.
More than 80% of foreign tourists rated local agricultural products as high quality with good value for money, saying they contribute to the overall experience as visitors seek to learn about, explore and take part in gastronomic and agrotourism activities, often in direct contact with local residents and mainly through visits to inland areas. Almost two in three visitors said Cretan gastronomy is a strong reason to visit the region even in winter and that they intend to buy Cretan products once back home, which the survey links to extending the tourist season and supporting competitiveness and sustainable development.
Foreign tourists reported feeling accepted by the local community and highlighted Cretan hospitality, direct contact with residents, and interest in discovering lesser-known aspects of the island’s history and culture, especially through visits to inland areas that experience less tourist pressure and in travellers’ view retain their authenticity. For those seeking somewhere to base such trips, the survey’s findings on accommodation choices point to the variety covered among places to stay in Crete.
According to visitors surveyed, reducing the negative effects of overcrowding at tourist areas and popular attractions, adding more parking, controlling traffic mainly in Chania town, protecting natural areas and beaches through sustainable management, encouraging responsible use of water and energy, developing alternative forms of tourism, and more effectively promoting local agricultural products could support sustainable tourism growth with benefits for the local community. The survey also points to the creation of a well-organized cross-sectoral network, with active participation from all stakeholders, effective management and coordination, as an important step in that direction.
About the survey
The survey was carried out by the Western Crete Tourism Observatory and coordinated by the Department of Economics and Administration of the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICh), in collaboration with the Financial Management Systems Laboratory of the Technical University of Crete, the Department of Business Administration and Tourism of the Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU), and members of the Department of Economics of the University of Crete.
The Observatory has operated for more than a decade on the initiative of the Region of Crete and the Chania Hoteliers Association, with the Western Crete Economic Chamber and the Chania Chamber also taking part.
