Last Updated on 09/09/2024 by Arun jain
Plans to impose 20 euro levy on Greece Cruise ship visitors On the islands of Santorini and Mykonos during the peak summer season.
The tax has been implemented to avoid over-tourism, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Sunday.
Greece relies heavily on tourism, a key driver of the country’s economy, which is still recovering from a decade-long crisis that wiped out a quarter of its output.
But some of its most popular destinations include Santorini, with 20,000 permanent residents, a beautiful island of quaint villages and pristine beaches. Risk of being ruined by mass tourism.
Mr. Mitsotakis clarified that overtourism is only a problem in some places.
“Greece does not have a structural over-tourism problem … some of its places have a significant problem during certain weeks or months of the year, which we need to deal with,” he said during a press conference after outlining his main economic policies. 2025.
“The burden of cruise shipping has fallen on Santorini and Mykonos and that is why we are moving forward with interventions,” he added, announcing the levy.
Greek tourism revenue was around 20 billion euros in 2023 on the back of around 31 million tourist arrivals.
In Santorini, protesters have called for curbs on tourism, as in other popular holiday destinations in Europe. Including Venice and Barcelona.
A portion of the revenue from the cruise shipping tax will be returned to local communities to invest in infrastructure, Mr. Mitsotakis said.
The government also plans to regulate the number of cruise ships that visit certain destinations together, while regulations to protect the environment and deal with water shortages should also be imposed on the islands, he said.
Greece also wants to raise taxes on short-term rentals and ban new licenses for such rentals in central Athens to boost the housing stock for permanent residents, Mr. Mitsotakis said on Saturday.
Post Cruise ship tourists face €20 tax to visit Santorini and Mykonos appeared first The Telegraph.