Economic relations between Greeks and Turks have changed significantly in recent years.
The two neighbors have long witnessed political leaders tossing and turning between the conflict and what diplomats call “sakin waters” (a phrase used to describe the current spell).
Overall trade and tourism volumes have doubled in five years, but gains have fallen unevenly on both sides compared to what was previously observed.
Maria Dimou, who lives in ’, Istanbul, “Up until about 10 years ago, people came to ’ from Greece, especially Istanbul, Edirne and Keşan. But now we see a lot more visitors coming to ’ from Turkey’ to Greece, because everything they want to buy is cheaper there, ” said.
Dimou continued: “TurkeyThe basic needs one needs to live and make a living in ’ are cheap.”
But when they want to buy something more expensive “prices go up, so they go to ’ in Greece and visit Thrace’, especially Alexandroupolis’, but some also go as far as Kavala’ for vacation or shopping, and especially here [in Turkey’] they go for food, drink and cold meat, which is very expensive” added.
GreeceThe number of Turks visiting ’ has tripled in four years
While the number of Greeks visiting ’ each year has remained stable at just over 500,000’, the number of Turks arriving in ’ in Greece has tripled over the past four years on a similar basis; According to estimates obtained by the relevant authorities from various sources, it exceeded 1.5 million last year, but the official ELSTAT figures are slightly lower.
Doruk Euronews’e, a computer engineer who lives permanently in Ankara’ but whom we met at a popular shopping mall in Istanbul’, said: “I went on holiday to ’a in Greece last month. I drove all the way to Kavala and Thessaloniki ’ and honestly I really liked Greece ’. The food was delicious, the portions were generous, and everything was cheap.”
TurkeyPeople in ’ Greecereact to the more affordable prices in ’ and say they want to return as soon as possible.
Symeon Soltaridis, who lives in Istanbul’ and is the President of the Balino Greek Community, said that “Many Turks either make day trips to the Edirne region and go to Orestiada’ from there, or gradually switch to Greece’ as a tourist, because the cost of tourism in Greece’ is much lower than in Turkey’, and as a result, thousands of people go to the Greek islands, especially in the summer months, passing through Ayvalık and other regions” said.
Greek Consulate in ’ is issuing 1,300 visas per day
Greece has become a very attractive destination for Turkish citizens. According to diplomatic sources, only the Greek consulate in Istanbul’ issues about 1,300 visas per day; Most of them are very introverted. These visas are primarily provided by Turks who plan repeated visits for the holiday, but shopping trips are also available.
This figure does not include approximately 25,000 Turks who have obtained or are in the process of obtaining a residence permit through golden visa programs or by working in ’, Greece.
In addition, within the scope of a quick on-site visa arrangement, a large number of people living in large parts of Izmir and Anadolu’, who made short visits to 12 islands in the Northeast Aegean ’ and Twelve Islands ’ for up to seven days, were not taken into account.
Eastern Aegean’de ‘Visa Express’
The plan, known as the “ Visa Express, and announced as part of the broader ” interpersonal diplomacy, was approved by the European Commission and launched after the Kyriakos Mitsotakis government met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Greece-Turkey High-Level Cooperation Council session.
The program includes 12 candidates: Kalymnos, Kastellorizo, Kos, Lesbos, Leros, Limni, Rhodes, Samos, Symi, Chios, Patmos and Samothrace. Visas are issued at port entry points, are valid for seven days and link the holder to the island where the visa is issued; Passage from the island to the island is not allowed. As a result, there was a strong tourism increase in the islands.
Kos topped the list of destinations last year largely because of its proximity to Bodrum’, followed by Rhodes and Chios, which attracted predominantly high-income visitors.
Lesbos and Samos were in the top five. August was the busiest month in 2025’ with about 281,000 arrivals; This was followed by July with 233,000 arrivals and September with about 188,000 arrivals.
‘Greeks can no longer cope with prices in Istanbul’
However, there are complaints that Greeks who come to ’ in Turkey are no longer shopping as before.
Kantar Pehlivanoğlu, owner of a street stall that sells jewelry and fashion accessories in Istanbul’, told euronews’e: “I had more Greek customers in the past, but now it is even harder for them to come to ’, let alone shop, Turkey, and this is because of their financial situation compared to the past.”
Soltaridis of Istanbul also underlined that prices have become too high for Greek visitors.
“, once upon a time, they would come and take all sorts of things. Now they come, they look, they experience the city, they see us, the Greek Cypriots, but they can't buy anymore because things have become expensive, ” said.
According to official figures, every Greek who visited Turkey’ last year spent an average of 340 euros per trip; This figure has increased by about 50 euros a year over the past three years.
However, this increase in practice leads to fewer purchases than before. TurkeyThe sharp increase in ’'s cost of living means that Greek visitors receive less in return for their money.
Turkish visitors to ’, meanwhile, spent an average of just over 300 Euro’ per trip, or precisely over 303 Euro’, according to the latest data from the Bank of Greek’.
Dimou, “GreeceIt is much cheaper to go to ’, eat there in a tavern, drink ouzo or other drinks, spend the night here and return, than to go to a similar tavern in Istanbul’, ” explained.
“GreeceThe quality of food in ’ has increased significantly, and while prices are considered affordable for Turks, here in Turkey’ has increased rapidly.”
Great change in the Greek-Turkish trade balance
At the same time, according to the Greek Statistical Institute’ (ELSTAT), there has been a significant shift in the trade balance between the two countries over the past few years.
For example, imports from Turkey ’ to Greece ’ reached 1.34 billion Euro’ in 2020’, exceeded 2 billion Euro’ the following year and 3 billion Euro’ in 2024’te, and are currently estimated at 3.34 billion Euros for last year.
In contrast, it is estimated that for 2025, exports from ’ to Turkey ’ will be only 1.37 billion euros; This figure has fallen in the last three years, reaching 3 billion Euro’ in 2022’, the last year in which Greece’ exports more to Turkey than it imports to ’.
