TOURISM-DRIVEN EMPLOYMENT IN GREECE: UNPACKING REGIONAL SPILLOVERS AND THE ROLE OF MARKET DYNAMICS

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.35774/jee2025.03.486

Keywords:

international travels, market dynamics, regional economy, regional spillovers, services.

Abstract

Inbound tourism performance is an important factor in the overall business cycle in Greece. In 2016-2022, the change in inbound tourism exports constituted about a half of the GDP change. This paper analyses the structural issues of employment effects of the inbound tourism in Greece in 2009-2022. Correlation analysis was used to find associations between tourism indicators and employment in accommodation services; agriculture; food and beverage industry; food and beverage service activities; libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities; water collection, treatment, and supply. No significant effect on employment trends in air transport and tour reservation services was found. Tourism is especially important in some regions of Greece, where it also provides spillover effects to employment in local suppliers. Regression models were used to estimate the positive effects on employment in accommodation establishments, total regional employment and its sectoral structure, unpacking regional spillovers and the role of market dynamics.

JEL: Z33, Z32, M31, F16, P48, R23.

Author Biographies

Konstantia DARVIDOU, University of Patras, Greece

Ph.D. of International Economic Relations, Department of Management Science and Technology

Evangelos SISKOS, University of Western Macedonia, Greece

Doctor of Science (Econ.), Professor of International, European and Black Sea Economic Relations, Department of International and European Economic Studies (Kozani)

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Received: August 7, 2025.

Reviewed: August 25, 2025.

Accepted: September 17, 2025.

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Published

31.10.2025

How to Cite

DARVIDOU, Konstantia, and Evangelos SISKOS. “TOURISM-DRIVEN EMPLOYMENT IN GREECE: UNPACKING REGIONAL SPILLOVERS AND THE ROLE OF MARKET DYNAMICS”. Journal of European Economy, vol. 24, no. 3, Oct. 2025, pp. 486-09, doi:10.35774/jee2025.03.486.

Issue

Section

TERTIARY SECTOR ECONOMICS