Greece's Tourism Minister, Olga Kefalogianni, discusses innovative strategies to tackle overtourism. She reveals plans for cruise ship fees in hotspots like Mykonos and Santorini to mitigate environmental pressures. The conversation highlights a post-pandemic tourism boom and the need for sustainable solutions to balance economic benefits with local community welfare. Kefalogianni also explores ways to entice tourists away from overcrowded attractions, emphasizing the importance of promoting lesser-known destinations.
22:59
forum Ask episode
web_stories AI Snips
view_agenda Chapters
auto_awesome Transcript
info_circle Episode notes
question_answer ANECDOTE
Santorini's Overtourism
In 2023, Greece broke its 2019 tourism record, leading to increased revenue but also exacerbating overtourism.
Instances of three cruise ships simultaneously docking in Santorini, overwhelming the island's infrastructure and residents, highlight the issue.
insights INSIGHT
Overtourism Impacts
Overtourism negatively impacts residents' quality of life, causing issues like traffic, lack of infrastructure, and resource depletion.
While Greeks acknowledge tourism's economic importance, protests against overtourism are less prevalent than in places like Barcelona or Venice.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Greek Government Interventions
Greece implemented measures like increased fees for cruise ship passengers and incentives for smaller, high-income cruises.
A ban on new short-term rentals in Athens aims to alleviate housing pressures and encourage longer-term stays.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
In September Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni announced the introduction of special fees for passengers disembarking from cruise ships at Mykonos, Santorini and some other ports. The fees are part of a broader strategy to manage the resurgence of mass tourism post-covid, reducing some of the negative impacts such as pressure on water supplies, waste management and overcrowding, while spreading the economic benefits more fairly across society.
Greece is not alone in considering how to alleviate the tensions arising when exceptional numbers of tourists arrive during peak holiday times. Venice has limited the size of tour groups, charging visitors a daily entry fee and the mayor of Barcelona has pledged to eliminate short-term tourist lets in the city within five years, to ease housing pressures.
With revenues from international tourism reaching USD 1.8 trillion last year according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, many governments and experts are thinking carefully about how to strike a balance between the economic boost, the tourist experience and the welfare of local communities. Can tourists be enticed away from those Instagram hot spots and what potential solutions could Greece employ to deal with overtourism?
Contributors
Katerina Kikilia, Head of Tourism Management, University of West Attica, Athens
Sandra Carvão, Director of Market Intelligence, Policies, and Competitiveness, UN World Travel Organisation
Kumi Kato, Professor in Tourism Studies, Wakayama University, Japan
Cevat Tosun, Eisenhower chair and professor of Tourism Studies and management at George Washington University School of Business
Presenter: Charmaine Cozier
Production: Diane Richardson and Matt Toulson
Broadcast Co-ordinator: Jacqui Johnson
Editor: Tara McDermott
Technical Producer: Toby James
(Image: Oia, Thira, Greece / Getty Images: Fernando Vazquez Miras)
The Inquiry