2024-09-23 14:22:32
Business is against it, asking for a delay until at least 2026.
For the first time, the Greek government plans to introduce taxes on cruise travel as part of tourism-related measures aimed at reducing destination congestion and increasing government revenue for environmental purposes.
Tourism Minister Olga Kefaloyani said that Greece has recovered from the shock of the covid pandemic, and according to forecasts, Greek tourism revenues this year will reach 22 billion euros.
The purpose of the new fees is “the balancing and qualitative development of Greek tourism”. A charge will be introduced for passengers disembarking from cruise ships in Greek ports. It will be higher for the destinations where there is the greatest tourist pressure and during the active tourist season, and for the other ports it will be lower and adjusted to the season.
For the most attractive islands of Santorini and Mykonos, the fee will be the highest – 20 euros per passenger, and for the rest of the ports it is set at 5 euros in the period from June 1 to September 30.
It will be 40% lower in April, May and October and will drop to €12 for the two most visited islands and €4 for the others. It will be 80% lower between November and March, being €4 for Mykonos and Santorini and €1 for other island destinations.
It is expected
the fee yes
bring income
from EUR 50 million,
part of which will enter the budget of the Ministry of Tourism to improve the tourist infrastructure. Among the objectives of the levy are the development of ports, improving the management of cruise flows, attracting smaller vessels with more paying passengers, and conducting a study on the contribution of cruises to the economy and their impact on local communities.
The Ministry of Tourism is also working on a plan of measures and actions for the overall management of cruises.
The cruise industry has voiced its opposition to the fee. The International Cruise Lines Association said in a statement that it understood the government’s motivations and shared the need to diversify destinations and reduce congestion on some islands, but called on Athens to “consider the potential economic impact of the new passenger tax for cruise tourism”. The association says that Santorini and Mykonos will have quay management systems in place next year and suggests that once the impact is assessed, consideration should be given to introducing the new fee from 2026 after consultation with cruise operators, affected municipalities, ports and the interested parties.
They also say that
for the next one
year cruises
they already are
sold out
At the same time, the fee does not affect others that transport thousands of visitors to Santorini every day, such as the daily ferries, which are actually day cruises. Last year 1.3 million cruise visitors came to Santorini, this year more are expected.
The Hotel Association of Santorini also expressed displeasure with the planned measures. In a statement, they note that these are measures that “not only do not contribute to the strengthening of the local economy and the competitiveness of tourism, but also, if they are not changed immediately, may lead to one of the worst tourist seasons in recent years.” The new fee put Santorini at a disadvantage compared to other global tourist destinations in Spain, Turkey and Italy.
In Venice, for example, the €5 fee applies to all visitors, in Barcelona it is €3.50 per cruise passenger, and there is also a €7 tourist tax for all tourists.
After a critical deluge 4.6 po Richter rocked Halkidiki
A 4.6 magnitude earthquake struck Halkidiki just a day after torrential rain flooded roads and ground floors, forcing tourists to evacuate the Greek peninsula. In the same area on Sunday, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center registered several more earthquakes with a magnitude between 2.2 and 4 on the Richter scale.
The epicenter of the most powerful earthquake was 12 km east of the resort village of Ouranoupoli. Earlier in the same area, another magnitude 4 earthquake shook the peninsula.
Another natural anomaly comes amid battling serious storms and rainfall in recent days. On Saturday, key routes in northern Greece were flooded and closed – including the first and second legs. Some establishments were closed, ground floors were submerged, and many tourists were forced to evacuate to be safe. For visitors who decided to stay, Greek authorities issued a warning not to enter the sea until the storm passed. Cloudy weather and showers are expected to last at least until Wednesday in our southern neighbor.