Tourists overwhelm Santorini: Island's charm under threat
The Greek island of Santorini, with a population of approximately 15,500, receives over five million guests annually. Although it sounds paradoxical, "even tourists are complaining about the large number of tourists."
Greece is one of the most famous European vacation destinations. In 2023, this country was visited by approximately 33 million tourists. According to a report by the Greek Ombudsman, that's five million more visitors than the previous year. Some of them chose to visit the picturesque island of Santorini.
Everyone is starting to get fed up
The Greek Ombudsman, in his latest report, highlights that the popular social media island of Santorini is being flooded by an increasing number of guests year by year. In the last season, it reached as many as five million people. For comparison, in 2012, that number was half as many. "On Santorini, even tourists complain about the large number of tourists," stated in the report.
According to the Greek Ombudsman, it is necessary to immediately introduce regulatory changes to reduce coastal construction and slow down deforestation. Additionally, attention was drawn to the problem with water, which is used to fill hotel swimming pools.
Tourism versus the environment and the economy
Many Greeks, regardless of political views, are increasingly worried about excessive tourism, as it threatens the natural environment. - If climate change progresses in southern Europe, we will face desertification and high temperatures. Who will want to come to Greece if temperatures reach 50°C? - wondered Prof. Manos Macaganis from the ELIAMEP think tank.
He also assessed that too much reliance on the tourism sector paradoxically risks the Greek economy. According to him, this country's economy seems to be trapped in a development model based on low-paid services with low added value, such as tourism.
- Is that bad? We have a beautiful country, beaches, islands. There is nothing wrong with utilizing our resources. However, it becomes problematic when tourism development is excessive. And there are signs that this is already happening because some islands are overbuilt, there are too many tourists, and there is a water shortage... - enumerates the expert.
