Greece has been grappling with the pressures of overtourism, particularly during what’s been described as the “worst ever” summer at its prime holiday spots. To counter this, the country is set to impose a €20 (£16) levy on visitors starting next summer, targeting areas like Santorini, which, despite only having 20,000 residents, attracts over three million tourists annually.
This inundation has led to severe strains on local services and exacerbated displacement of permanent residents. Greece also faces a rampant transformation of up to 40% of its housing stock in some areas into profitable Airbnb accommodations, which will soon face higher taxation.
The burgeoning presence of cruise ships, disgorging thousands of tourists at once into popular locales, has added to the problem. Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis addressed the situation, asserting: “Greece does not have a structural overtourism problem… Some of its destinations have a significant issue during certain weeks or months of the year, which we need to deal with.”
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The official warned that other top destinations such as Mykonos will also face charges at their peak times, specifically aiming to tackle the issue of overcrowding from cruise ship visitors. “Cruise shipping has burdened Santorini and Mykonos and this is why we are proceeding with interventions,” Mitsotaki said.
(Image: Getty Images)
Europe’s sun-kissed holiday spots, including parts of Spain and Greece, are seeing rising tourist numbers post-pandemic, stirring concerns and even protests about the impacts of mass tourism despite the essential income it brings. In response, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced measures targeting the tourism sector in his economic update, reports the Mirror.
In an attempt to address the issues raised by the surge in tourism, the strategy includes a hike in taxes for Airbnb owners, potentially pushing up costs for holiday lets. Alongside this, a three-year tax incentive is being offered to encourage long-term leases instead, with Mitostakis stressing his intention to resolve the accommodation crisis intensified by the high demand from tourists.
Amidst growing discontent over housing shortages and the prevalence of Airbnb offerings, anti-tourist sentiments are visibly surfacing in Greece, with graffiti emblazoned on buildings conveying messages like “Tourists Go Home! ” In Athens, the unrest is further highlighted by slogans such as ‘No Tourists No Hipsters’, and ‘Burn Airbnb’.
Speaking to the Independent, 58 year old Athens resident Penny Platanitou expressed her concerns: “It’s a huge issue because it’s changing the urban landscape. Where there are traditional buildings, now there’s a modern one next to them, designed to be an Airbnb.”
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