With 16,000 km of coastline, 1,200 islands, and 4,800 islets, Greece is one of the world’s most sought-after cruising locales. The relatively calm and clear waters of the Ionian, Aegean and Mediterranean seas, stunning seascapes, and a favourable climate that makes sailing attractive for over six months of the year, all give Greece a natural competitive edge in nautical tourism. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council, yachting tourism contributed 4.5% to Greece’s GDP in 2016.
The Greek government recently passed legislation removing many limitations on the yachting market, creating a fertile environment for the development of new marinas all along the Athens and Attica coastline.
Already, Athens has 9 marinas with a mooring capacity of almost 5,000 yachts. These marinas have all the essentials for nautical tourism: well-equipped moorings, security services, dry docks, parking, shopping centres, food and entertainment venue and shower areas. Six marinas are located on the eastern coastline of Attica. The "Blue Flag" awarded Olympic Marina, just 20 minutes from Athens International Airport, is easy striking distance from the Cyclades islands. The Alimos Marina, 15 km from the centre of Athens, is one of the largest marinas in the eastern Mediterranean; it can accommodate 1,100 yachts.
In 2014, the International Council of Marine Industry Associations placed Greece in ninth place regarding the number of leisure boats worldwide.