Corfu welcomes approximately four million visitors every year, making it one of Greece's leading tourism destinations. What is particularly important is that around one million of those visitors arrive through cruise tourism, highlighting Corfu's strategic role as one of the Mediterranean's key cruise gateways. According to our recent visitor satisfaction study, we welcome travelers from 38 different countries, demonstrating both the maturity and international appeal of the destination.
The United Kingdom remains our largest source market, followed by France and Germany, while Italy and other European markets continue to play an important role. At the same time, we continue to diversify our visitor mix. Israel, for example, has become an increasingly important market, with approximately 42,000 visitors arriving in Corfu
One particularly encouraging finding from our research is the average length of stay. More than 60% of our visitors remain on the island for between six and ten days, giving them enough time to experience not only our beaches but also our culture, gastronomy, villages and heritage. Longer stays naturally create greater opportunities for local businesses and contribute more substantially to the local economy.
When it comes to visitor spending, our ambition is not simply to increase the numbers. Our priority is to increase the value that remains in Corfu. This is precisely why the Chamber has launched a broader economic research. We want to understand how tourism expenditure circulates across local businesses and how we can strengthen the connection between tourism and sectors such as commerce, local production and services. As for future growth, I believe the opportunity lies less in targeting one specific country and more in attracting travelers who seek authentic experiences throughout the year. Corfu already has a strong international reputation. The next step is to showcase the island not only as a summer destination, but as a cultural, gastronomic and heritage destination that deserves to be discovered in every season. That is where I see the greatest potential for sustainable growth.
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