A furious resident on the Greek island of Mykonos says she is considering selling her home and leaving the island due to mass tourism and building developments.
Mykonos’ beautiful white towns and stunning beaches have made it one of the most popular holiday destinations in Greece, attracting more than two million visitors a year.
But the rise in tourism has put pressure on transport, housing, and businesses on the island.
Now, a Greek novelist who has owned a house on the island since the mid-1990s says she is considering leaving.
Speaking to the Telegraph, Chrysiida Dimoulidou said: “It’s no longer the Mykonos I loved – they are building everywhere and it’s losing all its charm.”
Meanwhile, DJ John Walker, who’s been visiting Mykonos for the past 25 years also expressed his anger at how things have changed due to rising tourism.
He posted on Facebook: “My only issue now is that they seem to cater more for two or three-night stays, [and people] who have loads of money to spend, and [they’ve] pushed out the people who’ve been going for years – we are no longer a priority.”
Some measures have been brought in by Greek authorities to try and ease the pressure on the island.
In August, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis introduced plans to hit cruise ship tourists with a €20 tax when they travel to Mykonos and Santorini.
Mr Mitsotakis said: “Greece does not have a structural over-tourism problem … Some of its destinations have a significant issue during certain weeks or months of the year, which we need to deal with.
“Cruise shipping has burdened Santorini and Mykonos and this is why we are proceeding with interventions.”
Other plans include limiting the number of cruise ships that can arrive simultaneously at certain destinations.
Mr Mitsotakis also plans to hike taxes on short-term rentals and ban new licenses for them in Athens to help boost housing stock for locals.