I was fortunate to be born and raised on two wonderful islands of the Cyclades. The first twelve years of my life were spent in Ermoupolis, Syros, followed by another four years in Pyrgos, Santorini, and since then, I have spent every summer there up to today. Thus, I have lived with pain the transformation of Santorini from a serene island with an idyllic atmosphere to one besieged by tens of thousands of invading tourists, whose need for accommodation has caused a construction frenzy of hotels, lodgings, and recreation areas to such an extent that most of its vineyards have been converted into plots and from a lush green island, it has now become entirely white.
Thousands of tourists flood the island from spring to autumn, and to accommodate and host them, it has been filled with hotels, rental rooms, tavernas, and entertainment venues. Hundreds of buses and vans, even ATVs, cause congestion on the narrow and poorly maintained roads, while the once tranquil nights have been replaced by the musical fascism of the dominant Anglo-American music and constant noise even in the early hours of the night.
My once idyllic and serene home has gradually been surrounded by all kinds of eateries and cafés, making sleep problematic as they operate into the early morning hours.
The mayor of the island, Nikolaos Zorzos, is overwhelmed by the problems caused by over-tourism and is seeking solutions. The major problem for him arises from the daily arrivals of at least four to five giant cruise ships, which simultaneously discharge more than 8,000 tourists onto the island. In recent years, day visitors from Crete and other Cycladic islands have also added additional stress to local authorities.
More than 500 large buses, 4,000 small passenger buses and vans, and hundreds of ATVs, in addition to the cars of residents and rental vehicles from tourists, cause traffic bottlenecks, while parking has become a major issue. And all of this in an environment of excessive construction and excesses in short-term rentals, which deprive seasonal workers and public servants of housing. The area of the island covered by buildings reaches 20%, which is higher than that of Attica.
Therefore, the mayor calls for no new hotel beds or new beds for short-term rentals to be constructed from now on. He also requests an increase in the fee of just 35 cents per cruise ship passenger, in order to find resources to manage the problems arising from over-tourism. According to the mayor, starting in 2025, priority will be given to cruise ships that have qualitative characteristics such as low emissions of carbon dioxide and other pollutants, will be smaller in size, and will stay for longer hours on the island. This will be the case in 2025.
Because this year, cruise ships may simultaneously disembark up to 19,000 passengers onto an island that cannot accommodate them. Why, then, are the specifications for 2025 not being implemented this year? Furthermore, how can the most touristic island in Greece maintain a landfill in the heart of the caldera?