Airport performance in a tourism receiving country: Evidence from Greece

• Greek airport performance is predominantly determined by the incoming tourism flows.
• There is scope for substantial efficiency improvement.
• Island location, connectivity and hotel infrastructure significantly affect performance in a positive way.

The aim of this study is to estimate the performance of 38 Greek airports. The analysis is performed in two stages. Firstly, efficiency scores for each airport are estimated using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) original and bootstrap techniques. Secondly, statistical assessments (Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests) and a censored Tobit regression model are employed to identify which factors significantly explain variations in the airport efficiency. The results indicated the scope for substantial efficiency improvements. In addition, island location, connectivity, and hotel infrastructure in the area were found to be significant factors affecting airport efficiency.