ARIS OIKONOMOU
- Greece will charge cruise passengers €20 ($22) to visit some of its most popular islands.
- The tax aims to curb tourism and protect local environments during summer.
- Other destinations like Venice have also implemented tourist levies to manage crowds.
Greece just announced a new plan to keep a handle on tourism.
Speaking at a trade fair in Thessaloniki over the weekend, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said he plans to introduce a €20 ($22) fee for passengers arriving at ports in some of its most popular islands such as Santorini and Mykonos during the peak summer months.
He also announced a one-year ban on new short-term rentals in three of the main areas of Athens, multiple news organizations reported.
Business Insider contacted the Greek government for further comment but didn't immediately hear back.
Cities, towns, and picturesque spots worldwide have been struggling with mass tourism, with locals and officials eager to make their areas more livable for residents.
Venice and Barcelona have introduced or raised tourist levies to reduce visitor numbers. New Zealand recently said it will triple its entry fee for foreign visitors to NZ$100 ($62).
Greece is the latest European country to impose measures to curb hoards of people arriving during the summer.
The Greek government also intends to moderate the number of cruise ships that dock simultaneously at certain ports to protect the local environment and combat water shortages on islands, per Reuters.
In 2023, 1.3 million people arrived at Santorini via around 800 cruise ships, according to data from the Hellenic Ports Association.
Mitsotakis said Sunday that part of the tourist tax revenues would be given to local communities to improve infrastructure, per Reuters.
But Greece's economy relies heavily on tourism. According to Bank of Greece data, the estimated travel expenditure of non-residents during their stay in Greece last year stood at €20.5 billion ($22 billion).