Overtourism, Greece introduces a 20 euro tax on cruise passengers to Santorini and Mykonos | EUROtoday

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Greece lives on tourism (the annual revenue of virtually 2 million Greeks comes from the sector which contributes about 25% to the economic system) however the success of the Mediterranean nation (document 33 million guests in 2023 and arrivals up 16% within the first half of 2024) has a heavy affect on residents, with some locations notably uncovered to mass tourism.

Intervention on cruises and short-term leases

As occurred elsewhere (in Spain but additionally in Italy with the ticket to Venice) Athens takes cowl: the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis introduced a package deal of measures that features a tax for all passengers arriving at Greek ports. The charge will probably be larger (as much as 20 euros through the excessive season) in the most well-liked vacationer islands resembling Santorini e Mykonos.

Part of the income from the cruise ship tax will return to native communities within the type of infrastructure investments. “Greece does not have a structural problem of overtourism,” Mitsotakis harassed. “Some destinations have a significant problem during certain weeks or months of the year that we need to address,” he stated.

Greece will even crack down on short-term leases with a one-year ban on new licenses within the three predominant areas of Athens, the start line and last vacation spot for a cruise across the Greek islands.

Record Overcrowding in Santorini

Santorini, well-known for its whitewashed buildings and the photographs taken by vacationers spellbound by the sundown over the Caldera, was considered one of Europe's hottest locations final 12 months, attracting almost 5.5 million guests, an enormous quantity for an island of 15,500 individuals. There have been demonstrations demanding a restrict on tourism, and tensions rose additional over the summer time when the president of the municipality of Fira (the island's capital), Panagiotis Kavallaris, revealed a put up urging residents to remain indoors to facilitate the go to of the 11,000 cruise passengers arriving on the island on July 24. The put up has since been deleted.