It’s not just the occasional cloud of dust that blows in from the Sahara desert and clings to the air in an orange haze.
People in the Greek capital are also complaining about new intrusions into their space: mass tourism, which is squeezing services and luring landlords to rent lucrative apartments to short-term stays rather than local residents. There is.
Athens is not the only European holiday destination where serious questions are being raised about the benefits of tourism, and where residents are increasingly highlighting its negative effects.
Thousands of people took to the streets on Spanish islands such as Tenerife in the Canary Islands and Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, while the Italian city of Venice became the first in the world to charge an entrance fee.
Tourists wait to buy tickets after passing through a checkpoint in front of Santa Lucia train station in Venice on April 25. AFP
The Netherlands has imposed an immediate ban on new hotel construction, with the exception of replacements for hotels that closed in Amsterdam, to prevent the total number of overnight guests from increasing past 20 million last year.
Even in Paris, which cheered after being selected to host the 2024 Summer Olympics after missing out on the London Games in 2012, people were advised to work from home or walk to work from July 26th and August 11th during the Olympics. Residents are complaining that this is being done. This is because the metro network becomes overcrowded.
What these countries, and others that attract large numbers of tourists, have in common is that their economies depend to some extent on the people who choose to spend their holidays there.
In both cases, the problem is not so much tourism as overtourism, or the wrong kind of tourism, organized groups and cruise ship passengers who clog roads but spend little. Finding solutions has become increasingly important in the global travel boom following the COVID-19 pandemic.
These concerns are real and often justified, even if they are exaggerated by social media hype and a flurry of media coverage, some of which may be misleading. Spanish tourism officials have warned holidaymakers that they could be refused entry unless they can prove they are spending at least 97 euros (about $104) per day, some British reports say. was especially furious.
Aware of the fears in the city about the effects of over-tourism, the Acropolis, a spectacular ancient Greek monument that dominates Athens’ skyline except when it’s dusty, is located outside the Acropolis. There was a familiar long line.
People stroll around the Acropolis as African dust fills the sky in Athens on April 23. EPA
Like many people drawn to this beautiful city, I saw businesses near Syntagma Square pull down their shutters early ahead of anti-austerity protests that could turn violent. I’m here. Demonstrations on overtourism are now held regularly.
France 24 television reported that demonstrators resorted to graffiti, vandalism and arson, shouting about property owners “living in the Maldives while we serve tzatziki here.” The report estimates that Athenians spend 40 percent of their disposable income on housing. Some tenants are being evicted to make way for Airbnb rentals and offices for “digital nomads,” people who need temporary use of their workspaces.
City officials see the problems facing ordinary residents as part of the painful legacy of successive IMF and EU bailouts as Greece struggles to cope with its massive debt.
Now, the economy is back to growth and tourism is increasing. This year, the number of arrivals at Athens Airport, which surged in the first quarter, is expected to reach 30 million. The question is whether the country, especially the capital, is prepared to handle the influx.
For those who do not live or work in Venice, an entrance fee of 5 euros applies to Venice.
Athens’ centre-left mayor Haris Doukas, who was elected in January, said the city council would receive a total of 2.7 million euros from tourism activities in 2023, amounting to just 42 cents per visitor.
Writing in the Greek daily Kathimerini, he said that due to financial constraints imposed by the Greek government, state aid to Athens is only sufficient for a city of about 700,000 people. In fact, 10 times more people flock to the capital every day.
“While the demand for Athens’ services and infrastructure is increasing exponentially, the means by which we have to respond is also decreasing rapidly, leading to severe dysfunction in the city and the tourism product itself. “It’s causing this,” Doukas wrote.
Tourists take selfies and enjoy the sunset in Oia, Santorini, Greece. AP
On April 20, mass protests were held across Spain’s Canary Islands, just 300 kilometers off the coast of Morocco, with organizers saying 50,000 people and police saying 20,000 people took part. More rallies are planned, including one in the southern mainland city of Malaga on June 29.
The Canary Islands welcomed 13.9 million tourists last year, more than six times its population. Tourism generates 35% of the island’s gross domestic product, but many residents believe the current model is unsustainable, benefits developers rather than locals, and leaves many living in poverty. It is claimed that
Wages for those working in tourism can be low and job security is limited. Some of the slogans found in various media reports are: “My misery, your paradise” and others: “You are having fun, but we are suffering.” Campaigners say some people have been forced to live in huts, cars or even caves.
The €5 entry fee to Venice applies to people who do not live or work in the city or who stay at least one night on the specified dates as a trial period until the summer. Barcelona and other popular European cities are watching the developments closely, but Venetian residents are divided, with opponents calling for any measures to stop mass tourism and encourage residents and small businesses to stay. I’m not convinced about what to do.
Sean Tipton, from the British Association of Travel Agents (abta), which also represents tour operators, has sought to reassure holidaymakers there is no need to fear a cold reception when traveling abroad.
“People aren’t against tourism per se,” he says. “What they’re concerned about is the business model. Generally speaking, we put vacationers in hotels that employ local people, so they don’t have any problems with us. I don’t feel it.”
The main complaint lies in the rapid growth of “peer-to-peer” accommodation, where travelers book accommodation directly using online options such as Airbnb and Booking.com, and the availability and cost of rental accommodation for local residents. It puts pressure on both, he argues. .
But he criticized the media for publishing headlines suggesting British tourists were suddenly subject to the so-called “97 euro a day rule” as part of an official response to mass tourism. .
In fact, all EU member states have a long-standing requirement that visitors from outside the region have sufficient funds to cover their needs, with amounts varying from country to country. All that has changed is that, as a result of Brexit, UK travelers are now in exactly the same position as travelers from the US, UAE or other countries not part of the EU.
Other works by Colin Randall
“But in reality, there is no evidence that British nationals have been refused entry or asked to provide proof of funds on such grounds,” Tipton said.
Abta sees little sign that extreme weather events, such as unusually heavy rains in the UAE and other GCC countries, will impact the travel industry. The Gulf region will benefit from fewer tourists to Europe if restrictions become the norm and Britons have to start paying for EU visa exemptions from next year, another post-Brexit complication. It’s even possible. However, the association recognizes the need for sustainable tourism in all popular destinations, for example by encouraging increased travel outside of high season.
What is certain is that the urge to travel is not likely to diminish. The challenge facing everyone involved, from the tourism industry to governments and perhaps the travelers themselves, is to reconcile the human love of adventure with the needs of the people in the places we visit.
Published: May 1, 2024, 4:00 a.m.
