Popular Greek island experiences 'worst tourist season' as visitor restrictions ease

Tourists crowded the balconies of houses in the town of Oia to take photos on June 30.

The whitewashed houses with blue roofs that blend with the sky and sea on the island of Santorini attract 3.4 million tourists each year, 170 times the population of 20,000.

On peak days, 17,000 tourists arrive on the island by cruise ship, heading straight to the most popular spots like the city of Fira and the northwestern town of Oia to watch the sunset.

Santorini Mayor Nikos Zorzos has proposed limiting the number of cruise ship visitors to the island to 8,000 a day, a policy backed by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The policy is expected to be implemented from 2025 in the hope of reducing the overcrowding that other European destinations such as Italy and Spain are facing.

But Santorini locals think otherwise and say the problem is not too many tourists. Gianluca Chimenti, a local tour operator who has lived on the island for 18 years, says overtourism does not exist here. What Santorini lacks is architecture.

Narrow cobblestone streets and cliffside balconies packed with tourists taking sunset selfies have been a familiar sight for years. But come nightfall, the crowds vanish. Many complain that the island has gone from being as crowded as Times Square to a ghost town.

Gianluca Chimenti says the images of Santorini flooded with tourists on social media only tell one part of the story. The rest of the day, the picture is very different. Unlike before, the island is deserted.

"This year has been the worst season ever," Chimenti said.

July and August are peak season, but town centres are deserted after 9pm. Restaurants and hotels are closed. Cruise ship arrivals are much needed and appreciated, according to island businesses, as are long-stay guests.

Crowded scene at sunset often seen on Santorini island

Chimenti says islanders feel Santorini needs change.

Until the late 20th century, Santorini was still an idyllic destination where people traveled by donkey and grew tomatoes and grapes. Now the island’s outdated infrastructure is under great pressure. The main port at Fira is also in a similar state due to its aging facilities. Visitors must hike up steep paths or take a cable car to get from the port to the city center. Long queues are common when many ships are in port at the same time.

However, when the crowds disappear (guests return to their ships), hotel occupancy rates are only 30% of what they are during off-peak seasons. Chimenti points out that the problem with Santorini being empty and hurting business is that "the media is saying something different than what actually happens." Many people always think Santorini is too crowded, so they avoid it and look for alternative destinations.

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), a global trade organization, said on August 1 that it met with Greek Maritime Minister Christos Stylianides to discuss improving and upgrading port infrastructure and services.

Greece's tourism boom isn't limited to Santorini. Reuters reported that national tourism revenue rose 16% in the first five months of the year, with Greece expected to surpass its record of 33 million visitors in 2023.

Maria Deligianni, CLIA’s regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, said cruise lines are committed to maintaining the 8,000-passenger limit due to the overwhelming popularity of Santorini and Mykonos. Cruise lines are starting to look to diversify their itineraries to Greece, taking passengers to other destinations and taking the pressure off the “hot” destinations.

Currently, nearly two-thirds of cruise ships in Greece go to Piraeus, Santorini and Mykonos. But tourists are also gradually avoiding these destinations.

Katie Haslam from the UK spent her honeymoon in July in Santorini. But instead of going to the tourist-filled Fira, she headed to a small fishing village perched on a cliff a few miles outside the city. This allowed them to have their dream vacation without being bothered by other tourists.

“I think there were about eight cruise ships coming into Fira on the day we were supposed to visit and we quickly steered clear,” Katie said.

TH (according to VnExpress)

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/dao-noi-tieng-hy-lap-trai-qua-mua-du-lich-te-nhat-vi-han-che-du-khach-389446.html