A total of 54,373 additional Turkish tourists were brought to the islands of the North-East Aegean by the implementation of the pilot program for granting entry visas (visas) upon their arrival at the ports of the islands.

Of these, 21,987 visas were issued at the entry gates of Lesvos, 19,623 at the entry gates of Chios and 12,763 at the entry gates of Samos.

The contribution of the measure, a result of the Mitsotakis-Erdogan meeting with the approval of the European Commission, to the large increase in Turkish visitors to the islands of the northeastern Aegean should be noted.

From the effective date of the measure until the 31st of last August, according to an announcement by the General Police Directorate of the North Aegean, the islands were visited by a total of 372,495 tourists from Turkey, of which 254,213 were Turkish. Of the Turks, 92,018 visited Lesbos, 89,456 Chios and 72,739 Samos.

Record number

The number of 254,213 Turkish tourists – a record number in the history of tourism in the northern Aegean – of which 54,373 with entry visas at the ports, proves the dynamic that the Mitsotakis-Erdogan agreement gave to the tourist traffic to the islands from Turkey.

It should also be noted that the number of European citizens who visited the islands via Turkey is also very large (around 80,000), many of whom are immigrants of Turkish origin in European countries who have acquired the citizenship of the country where they live.

More specifically, the figures of the General Police Directorate of the North Aegean state the following:

Arrivals at statutory entry points of the areas of responsibility of the Lesvos Police Directorate:

  • Total number of visitors: 120,242
  • Number of European citizens: 20,148
  • Number of third-country nationals: 8,076
  • Number of Turkish citizens: 92,018
  • Number of entry visas for Turkish citizens: 21,987

Arrivals at a statutory entry point in the area of ​​responsibility of the Chios Police Department:

  • Total number of visitors: 133,720
  • Number of European citizens: 25,724
  • Number of third-country nationals: 18,540
  • Number of Turkish citizens: 89,456
  • Number of entry visas for Turkish citizens: 19,623

Arrivals at statutory entry points of the areas of responsibility of the Samos Police Department:

  • Total number of visitors: 118,533
  • Number of European citizens: 34,080
  • Number of third-country nationals: 11,714
  • Number of Turkish citizens: 72,739
  • Number of entry visas for Turkish citizens: 12,763

The implementation of the pilot program for granting entry visas (visa) on arrival of Turkish citizens with their families at the ports of the islands enables visitors to be granted a visa of limited territorial validity with the right to stay to the holders up to a maximum of seven days, depending on the purpose and conditions of the intended stay.