Now, Athens is signaling to foreign tourists that they may need to pay extra on certain islands.
Greece is planning to introduce a 20$ tax for tourists visiting popular islands like Santorini & Mykonos. This was announced by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who explained that the tax is aimed at curbing the excessive tourism that has been straining these destinations.
“Greece doesn’t have a structural problem with over-tourism. However, certain destinations face significant challenges during specific weeks or months that need to be addressed. The cruise ship traffic is overwhelming Santorini and Mykonos, which is why we’ve decided to take action,” Mitsotakis stated.
Santorini, known for its picturesque villages and beaches, has around 20,000 permanent residents. However, they are increasingly complaining about the overwhelming number of visitors, which they say is affecting their quality of life.
The number of foreign tourists on the island continues to grow. Last year, according to the mayor, Nikos Zorzos, approximately 3.4 million people visited Santorini, placing heavy pressure on the island’s aging infrastructure and driving locals out of the housing market.
Zorzos has been urging authorities for years not to approve any more tourist accommodations and suggested limiting the number of cruise ship visitors to 8,000 per day, down from the current daily average of 17,000.
Additional Measures
The Greek Prime Minister also announced other measures to regulate tourism, such as setting a limit on the number of cruise ships that can dock at certain ports and introducing stricter protections for water resources.
The government is also looking to clamp down on the short-term rental sector. Taxes on these rentals are expected to increase, and in Athens, the state will halt issuing new licenses for tourist accommodations.
Tourism is a critical driver of Greece’s economy. Last year, 33 million tourists visited the country, generating 20 billion euros in revenue.
