The Greek Prime Minister has confirmed plans to introduce a ‘tourist tax’ on some of its busiest destinations in a bid to reduce the impact of holidaymakers. People visiting will need to pay 20 euros – around £17 – on top of whatever else they have paid for the visit.
The levy was announced by the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. It will cover people arriving at the islands of Santorini and Mykonos by cruise ship.
He said the tax was being restricted to specific locations to protect the country’s tourism industry, adding: “Greece does not have a structural overtourism problem… Some of its destinations have a significant issue during certain weeks or months of the year, which we need to deal with.
“Cruise shipping has burdened Santorini and Mykonos and this is why we are proceeding with interventions.”
31million tourists visited Greece in 2023 bringing the country 20billion euros. The new levy will come into force in 2025.
There have been protests against overtourism in Santorini, similar to those seen across parts of Spain. Other countries, including Italy, have already started importing taxes on tourists in some locations.
Money raised by the new tax in Greece will be used to support the local communities. Other plans to reduce the tourism impact include restrictions on the number of visiting cruise ships, and a restriction on new holiday rentals as well as a tax on holiday flats, homes and villas.