A total of 372,495 tourists from Turkey visited the islands of the North Aegean since April this year, when the seven-day “visa express” was granted to nationals of the neighboring country, according to data from the General Police Directorate of the region on Thursday.
Of those tourists, a record-breaking 254,213 were Turkish nationals, 92,018 of whom visited Lesvos, 89,456 Chios and 72,739 went to Samos.
A further 80,000 European nationals reached the islands from Turkey, many of whom are of Turkish descent.
The visa, which allows access to 10 Greek islands and 14 ports, is valid for seven days, costs 60 euros and can be issued outside the tourist season, at any time during the year. Visitors cannot leave Greece and travel to another destination.
