The paper presents a brief overview of tourism development in the Aegean Sea region – mainly on the islands and coastal areas of Greece, as well as those of Turkey. Rich natural resources, good infrastructure and services, hospitable inhabitants attract most of the 80 million tourists who visit the two countries. There are negative trends in environmental pressure due to the growing development of tourism, as well as changes in the social and economic sectors. Both countries seek advanced models for the sustainable development of tourism and are setting their goals.