Turkish arrivals to Chios, Lesbos, and Samos reached 261,766 from the beginning of the year through Aug. 20, with Chios alone receiving more than 100,000 visitors.
Figures reported by ERTnews show 100,447 arrivals on Chios, 89,957 on Lesbos, and 71,362 on Samos. July was the busiest month on all three islands, including 32,582 arrivals on Lesbos and about 29,000 each on Chios and Samos.
The picture was different on Lesbos compared with last year. Arrivals from Turkey were down about 8%, according to figures presented by the president of the island’s association of tourism and travel agencies. Local tourism professionals told ERT that the issue is no longer a shortage of ferry connections, with numerous services operating from the Turkish coast, but attracting more travelers to choose Lesbos.
Cross-Aegean travel is also being supported by Greece’s temporary short-stay visa program. The Greek Foreign Ministry announced on March 31 that the arrangement had been renewed for another year following coordination with the European Commission. Turkish nationals and their family members can receive visas valid for up to seven days at authorized entry points on 12 Greek islands, including Chios, Lesbos, and Samos.
ERT reports daily ferry connections from Ayvalık, Çeşme, and other Turkish ports to islands in the eastern Aegean. The arrival figures make Turkey an important nearby tourism market for Chios, Lesbos, and Samos, even as the decline on Lesbos shows that the three islands are not moving at the same pace.