Greece will impose a new tax of 20 euros on every tourist disembarking from a cruise ship on the islands of Santorini or Mykonos during the peak summer season, in an attempt to combat the negative effects of mass tourism, it was reported on Monday. the Greek newspaper Kathimerini.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the conservative, had suggested last Saturday, during a speech at the Thessaloniki International Fair, that his government would introduce a tax on all cruise passengers disembarking during the high season on the Greek islands.
“(These fees) will be higher in Santorini and Mykonos, and lower in the rest of the Greek islands,” Mitsotakis said, stressing that the basis of tourism development must be “the protection of the unique natural environment” of Greece.
About 40,000 inhabitants reside on the two aforementioned islands, both located in the Cyclades archipelago, but last year they were visited by about 7 million tourists, according to data from their respective municipalities to which EFE had access.
The government also plans to regulate the number of cruise ships that can arrive daily at certain islands to avoid the phenomenon that occurred this summer in Santorini, when on some days two cruise ships arrived simultaneously, disembarking around 16,000 tourists who flooded the island in a matter of hours.
Short-term rental tax increases
On the other hand, starting next year, a tax on short-term rentals, hotels and other accommodation will be increased between April and October, Mitsotakis added, referring to measures planned to curb the harmful effects of mass tourism.
“A good part of this income will be returned to local communities to improve their infrastructure to cope with the flow (of tourists) they receive every summer,” he promised.
Many Greek tourist islands have faced severe water shortages this summer during peak season as their supply networks cannot cope with the immense demand.
In this sense, the conservative leader stressed that incentives will be granted for the development of greenhouse crops, which are very productive and at the same time consume much less water than traditional crops.
Regarding the housing crisis facing Athens, aggravated by tourism, Mitsotakis announced that “from now on” and for one year, the establishment of new short-term rentals will be banned in the center of the Greek capital. “The right of one person to earn money cannot hinder the right of another to have a home,” the conservative leader stressed.