Summer holidaymakers in Greece may soon be slapped with fines as the government rolls out strategies to curb overtourism on popular island destinations.
Tourists on cruise ships visiting Santorini and Mykonos during the peak season from March to October may need to shell out €20 (£16.90).
Greece’s economy relies heavily on tourism, with the Mediterranean country hosting 31 million visitors and raking in €20 bn in 2023.
“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,” said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, according to Reuters.
But the numbers take a toll on Greece’s island communities. The small island of Santorini hosts just 20,000 full-time residents, but sees a whopping 3.5 million tourists per year.
“Cruise shipping has burdened Santorini and Mykonos and this is why we are proceeding with interventions,” added Mitsotakis.
Protestors in Santorini have called for levies on tourism, joining other popular European cities such as Barcelona in advocating for limits.
Even some UK destinations are considering tourist taxes, with Edinburgh poised to become Scotland’s first city to impose limits on visitors.
Greece may soon introduce other restrictions on travellers in efforts to curb visitor burden. The government may also limit the number of cruise ships that arrive simultaneously at certain ports.
And in Athens, new short-term rental licenses may be banned to provide more housing stock for residents according to Reuters.
These restrictions come as Greece continues to impose its Climate Resilince Fee which charges tourists in hotels between €8-15 per night, per room – in an effort to aid Greece’s response to climate change.