Donald Wood
Last updated: Wednesday, July 10, 2024 at 9:05 AM
Greek authorities believe that overtourism and its impact on local communities is a major issue and is unsustainable as it stands.
Athens Mayor Haris Doukas said that tourists visiting his city contribute “just 0.40 euros” to the local economy, according to Fortune.com. To justify a 120 percent increase in foreign tourists visiting Greece since 2019, Doukas and other officials said the government needs to make tourism more financially viable.
Greece remains highly dependent on tourism, with travel-related industries accounting for 25-30 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP). A total of 33 million tourists visited Greece last year, putting a strain on “infrastructure, housing and environmental resources.”
“The environmental pressures of tourism are found to be associated with changes in land use (through the construction of new infrastructure and facilities catering to tourists) and in particular with the expansion of urban environments at the expense of nature,” the government report argues.
Greece has added a climate-resilient tax to hotel bills for international tourists to combat overtourism and help the country cope with damage caused by recent natural disasters that hit the country.
“Our goal is to protect both the environment and people’s right to free access to beaches, while preserving tourism and a healthy entrepreneurial spirit,” Greek Economy Minister Kostis Hatzidakis said.
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