A GREEK TRAGEDY?

Rich Booth asks where tourism in Greece is headed as it faces overcrowding, earthquakes and a warming climate

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When Icarus made his escape from the island of Crete with wings made of feathers and wax, he ignored the warning not to fly too close to the sun. Overcome by the thrill of flight, he soared too high, the heat melted the wax, and he fell into the sea and drowned. Icarus's story is a cautionary tale on the dangers of overambition. It also serves as a perhaps lazy but effective metaphor for the crossroads Greece’s tourism industry finds itself at today.

Tourism has long been one of Greece’s economic pillars, contributing €21.7bn to the economy in 2024 alone. But after decades of growth, cracks are beginning to show. The country is grappling with overtourism, infrastructure strain, housing shortages, and the escalating impact of the climate crisis - all of which threaten to upend the very charm that draws millions of visitors each year.

Last summer, Greece’s ombudsman issued a report calling for urgent reform to address these issues. “Our country’s economy relies heavily on tourism, which makes the need to manage it in a sustainable way even more urgent,” the report said. It warned that Greece must not “exhaust its potential, wasting it and making our tourist destinations unattractive over time”.

Santorini’s slowdown

One of the most iconic victims of this pressure is Santorini. The Cycladic island, famous for its sunsets, whitewashed buildings, and volcanic beaches, has seen a drop in visitor numbers this summer.

Airport data from January to May shows arrivals decreased by 24.4 per cent annually, according to reports – a notable shift for an island that has hosted more than 5.5 million annual visitors despite having just 15,550 residents.

“In Santorini, even tourists complain about the great number of tourists,” a 2024 report said. Cruise tourism, although recently capped at 8,000 visitors per day, has brought up to 18,000 passengers to Santorini daily during peak season, straining the island’s resources.