Greece and Spain have signed a Tourism Cooperation Memorandum for the first time in the history of relations between the two countries, opening what officials describe as a new chapter in their tourism ties. The agreement was signed in Madrid by Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni and Spain's Minister of Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu.
The deal creates a stable framework for cooperation covering sustainability, investment, digitalisation and education, according to the two ministries.
What the memorandum covers
The memorandum provides for the exchange of information and expertise, joint tourism promotion campaigns, and stronger investment ties between the two countries. It also sets out cooperation on digitisation and innovation, as well as on tourism education and professional training.
Greece and Spain will also seek closer coordination within the World Tourism Organization and other international bodies, working toward a shared approach to more sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean and the green and digital transition of the sector, ahead of a new European tourism strategy.
Other priorities named in the agreement include sustainable destination management, the use and analysis of tourism data, digital transformation, innovation, and the development of skills among workers in the tourism industry.
Joint committee to oversee progress
A Joint Greece-Spain Committee will be set up to implement the agreement. It will track the progress of planned actions, maintain regular dialogue between the two sides, and look for further opportunities for cooperation.
Rising travel between the two countries
The agreement comes as tourism flows between Greece and Spain are growing. In 2025, arrivals of Spanish travellers to Greece rose by 23.8% to reach 566,600, while travel receipts from those visits totalled 296.3 million euros.
Kefalogianni: 'We have much to offer together'
Kefalogianni said Greece and Spain, as two major Mediterranean tourism destinations, share common challenges as well as a common vision for the future of the industry.
She said Greece and Spain are two great Mediterranean destinations, united by a shared history, a shared culture and shared values, and that the two countries see tourism not only as an economic activity but also as a bridge between peoples, cultures and societies.
The tourism minister added that she was convinced Greece and Spain have much to learn from one another and, above all, much to offer together to Europe and to global tourism, because the two countries do not only share the Mediterranean Sea but also a common vision and a common ambition for the future of tourism.
She said the signing of the memorandum marked the beginning of more structured cooperation, aimed at delivering concrete results and closer collaboration between ministries, tourist destinations and businesses.
