The tourism crisis in Santorini, explained.
Santorini, one of Greece's most popular islands, attracts millions of tourists worldwide each year for their summer vacations. According to the latest data, the island averages 3.4 million visitors annually, a staggering number compared to its roughly 20,000 permanent residents.
This surge in tourism, however, has started to exasperate the locals, who argue that the island cannot accommodate more visitors.
"About 17,000 cruise ship passengers arrive on the island during the peak season. The narrow cobblestone streets and picturesque balconies are packed with tourists seeking the perfect sunset selfie, causing annoyance to the locals trying to go about their daily lives," states CNN's recent report.
Tourist Cap by 2025
Many permanent residents of popular summer destinations across Europe have begun to voice their frustrations, organizing large protests in Greece, Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, and beyond.
Regarding Santorini, the island's mayor, Nikos Zorzos, has proposed setting a limit on the number of cruise ship passengers visiting daily. Specifically, he believes the cap should not exceed 8,000 passengers per day.
This view is shared by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who recently told Bloomberg that this measure will be implemented in 2025.
Infrastructure Issues
On his part, Gianluca Chimenti, a travel agent and resident of Santorini for the past 18 years, emphasizes that the problem lies not in the sheer number of tourists but in the lack of infrastructure.
"Overtourism is not the issue. What I see is a lack of infrastructure. The truth is, the island is empty. After 9 p.m., the restaurants and hotels are barely half full. The only way for cruise passengers to travel from the Old Port to the town center is by cable car. And since the ships arrive simultaneously, a huge queue is inevitable," he explains.
In short, the island appears crowded because transportation is challenging, and there are not enough options to reduce the queues. However, "currently, hotel occupancy is 30% lower than usual for the season."
Πηγή άρθρου
ΟΛΕΣ ΟΙ ΕΙΔΗΣΕΙΣ
Αποποίηση ευθύνης
Ο ιστότοπος είναι μια πλήρως αυτοματοποιημένη υπηρεσία συνάθροισης, ταξινόμησης και ανάρτησης συνοπτικών ειδήσεων και νέων από άλλους ελληνικούς ειδησεογραφικούς ιστότοπους, μέσω της τεχνολογίας RSS. Δεν αναλαμβάνουμε καμία ευθύνη για την επάρκεια, ποιότητα, πληρότητα ή ακρίβεια των ειδήσεων και των νέων που δημοσιεύονται. Δείτε περισσότερα στο τμήμα "Αποποίηση Ευθύνης" των Ορων Χρήσης.