Greek tourism has surpassed all expectations since mid-July, setting new records for arrivals from abroad, but apparently also for admissions. At the same time, however, it also faced its own limitations as the capacity of many – mostly island – destinations was exceeded, while a large proportion of Greek households were relocated for price reasons to alternative destinations not necessarily ready to welcome the number of visitors who flock to them even today.

Involuntarily questions arise: Is it sustainable to receive such a large number of visitors and under what conditions? What does this mean for destinations and local communities, and what does this mean for Greeks who love to spend their holidays in their own country? And finally, what’s next for Greek tourism?

Arrivals of passengers from abroad in July at 14 regional airports amounted to 5.127 million passengers, compared to 4.49 million in the corresponding month of 2019. These figures are a new record for arrivals at these airports and the increase corresponds to a percentage of 13.9% compared to the record levels in the same month of 2019. The first data for August shows that this growth in inbound tourism is gaining momentum, with the number of arrivals in the islands of the southeast Aegean in the first 7 days of August increasing by 17% compared to the corresponding period in 2019. Since foreigners have flooded the most world famous Greek islands, many Greeks as well as foreigners have turned to alternative destinations such as Naxos or Tinos as well as Epirus. Thousands of Greek homeowners on the islands chose to rent or even rent out in August rather than experience the overcrowding that is seen every year, and even more so this year. Perhaps it is also characteristic that well-to-do Greeks with fine houses in Mykonos, but also with longstanding ties to the island, decided this year, According to “K” sell them and look for new homes in currently less crowded destinations such as Antiparos.

However, with this dynamic, Greek tourism agencies and government officials estimate that inbound tourism revenue could reach 20 billion euros this year, compared to 18.2 billion in 2019. This scenario results in additional financial revenues of around €2.5 billion of the $15 billion originally budgeted, which could finance subsidies for high household energy costs. It is clear that travel receipts create additional fiscal space exactly when it is needed by the economy and the state. However, along with rising incomes, there are acute questions about the sustainability of this new reality.

If we add to this climate the notorious Greek pollution, the lack of infrastructure that creates traffic jams, and many other problems in once pristine places, the lack of parking spaces and the uncontrolled landing of private vehicles on islands that simply cannot accommodate it, then it is easy to understand that without strategic planning Greek tourism will become a victim of its own success: visitor satisfaction will begin to decline and they will not return, and the discussions they will have in their countries will damage the reputation of Greece. For example, the stories in the week leading up to August 15 in Paros about overcrowded buses connecting popular destinations like the Gold Coast with urban settlements poking out of the crowd are reminiscent of images of Third World countries.

Infrastructure

Since the infrastructure is shared between tourism and non-tourism activities (e.g. transport), it is clear that a large number of concurrent visitors increases wear and tear and creates problems in terms of energy consumption and waste management, increasing the wear and tear of the natural environment through a form of pollution and overuse of natural resources.

Finally, hypertourism threatens the very cultural identity of the destination. Of course, one should not mention the adequacy of medical services in tourist areas and the possibility of transporting emergency cases to Athens. They are also highlighted in the National Action Plan for Greek Tourism 2030 of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE), which has been presented to the government and social agencies for about a year now. From 2021, SETE warns of “a major challenge that starts with individual destinations with proper waste and liquid waste management, extends to energy and water sufficiency, and ends with environmental protection as a basic condition for the development of tourism.” Added to all this is the urgent need to include climate change in the equation of change, which is already affecting global tourism and will affect it everywhere in the near future.

Some believe this year’s results are driven by post-pandemic rush demand and are difficult to replicate.

unique year

Coolers are reassuring about what is happening this year, referring to it as a special year that will be difficult to repeat as records based on their own analysis are created by increased demand born after two years of pandemic and lockdown. This phenomenon has even been called revenge abroad. So in 2023, there may not be issues such as a lack of affordable housing, as well as tickets, flights, and ferry tickets to reach popular destinations. However, this is not the case: problems with the ecology and the nature of Greek destinations exist even before the pandemic.

In addition, in parallel with revenge travel, there is also a structural shift of incoming travelers towards higher income individuals, resulting in an increase in overall prices in the hospitality chain. Newer markets such as the United States, with very high average per capita travel costs, have not only offset, but more than offset, the loss of old markets that are currently closed, such as Asia and Russia. However, along with higher revenues, a large number of tour packages from major European agencies continue to increase the load on the capacity of many developed Greek destinations such as Rhodes, Corfu and Kos, and which this year in August surprise people, they have even the least sensitive to these situations.

However, according to experts, revenues can continue to grow without an increase in the number of visitors, which puts a strain on infrastructure and the environment. But what is needed is a plan to extend the tourist season that could meet the targets, for example, with a carefully designed pricing policy that would attract more visitors in different months than July and August, and less to places that cannot resist the people they attract. But this will not solve the problem of the middle and low-income strata of the country’s population, who this year do not have the opportunity to have a decent rest for a long time in the usual summer destinations. Some are already talking about the displacement of the Greeks by foreigners. Many of them will have to look for new destinations from the thousands of beautiful places that really exist in Greece, but which are not yet ready to provide the expected services.

Of course, for local residents who are waiting two to two and a half months of the summer season to financially support the remaining ten, such an influx of visitors and an increase in average per capita spending is manna from heaven. However, this will not happen in the future if measures are not taken now, experts explain: “Tourism cannot continue to work with predators and those foreign visitors who leave very little, if any, added value. , often seeking only to take a photo portrait against the backdrop of Greece in order to post it on their social media profiles,” market circles admit.

All of these questions can only be answered by a strategic plan that aims to increase the incomes of more people in more regions, but without changing the environment and the nature of destinations. And that means planning development policies and direction management organizations that will be coordinated by often competing local authorities such as municipalities, the police, the port, sometimes the church and, of course, businesses. This summer shows, at a minimum, that the red lines have already been crossed and clear boundaries and conditions need to be set.

5.12 million. passengers arriving in July at 14 regional airports, compared to 4.49 million in the corresponding month of 2019.

20 billion Inbound tourism revenue could reach €18.2bn this year, up from €18.2bn in 2019.

17% arrivals to the islands of the southeastern Aegean increased in the first 7 days of August compared to the corresponding period in 2019.