The Greek government is seeking to implement a €20 tax on cruise ship visitors to the islands of Santorini and Mykonos during the peak European summer season in order to regulate overtourism. It will also regulate the number of ships arriving at any one time.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated that “Greece does not have a structural problem of overtourism, but some of its destinations experience a significant problem during certain weeks or months of the year, which we must address. Cruise ships place a heavy burden on Santorini and Mykonos, and that is why we are proceeding with these interventions.”.
It should be noted that Greek tourism revenue reached €20 billion in 2023 thanks to nearly 31 million tourists. Regarding the cruise ship tax, a portion of the revenue will be returned to the local community for investment in infrastructure, as detailed by the Greek Prime Minister.
Beyond the islands, Greece also plans to increase the tax on short-term rentals and prohibit new licenses for such rentals in central Athens to increase the housing stock for permanent residents. The government will provide details of some of these measures on Monday.
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