Santorini Residents Fighting For Tourism Cap Amid Overtourism

This summer, Greece is seeing its tourism numbers swelling and on the popular island of Santorini, many residents and local officials are not impressed. They are contending with the side effects of overtourism due to the island’s popularity.

Residents fighting overtourism in Santorini, Greece

Santorini is renowned for its whitewashed homes with touches of blue spreading out on the cliffs overlooking the sea. Located around 297 miles south of Athens, Santorini is one of a group of islands known as the Cyclades, including Aspronissi, Nea Kameni, Palea, Thira and Thirassia.

However, due to its iconic beauty and old-world charm, Santorini is struggling to host a massive 3.4 million tourists each year. According to Mayor Nikos Zorzos, the increasing number of international visitors is overwhelming the island’s infrastructure. Moreover, as with many other popular destinations, is pricing its 20,000 locals out of the housing market.

Due to this influx of travelers, locals are echoing the stories of residents protesting in other popular hotspots, including Venice and Barcelona. As with those cities, locals in Santorini are calling for protection and preservation measures, including a cap on the number of tourists allowed.

Safeguarding residents’ quality of life

Mayor Zorzos told USA Today that he has always been a staunch advocate for safeguarding his residents’ quality of life, while crowds of tourists routinely descend and impact the integrity of the iconic island.

Zorzos is proposing to cap cruise ship visitors at 8,000 a day, a major improvement as compared to the current figure of around 17,000.

“It is in the best interest of our land for there to be a limit,” he said.

Meanwhile, Georgios Damigos, who runs a hotel on the island, told Reuters, “Our standards of living have gone down. It’s as simple as that,” adding: “Santorini is a wonder of nature,” explaining that the impacts of mass tourism threaten to turn the island into “a monster.”

Greece and overtourism in general

Moreover, Greece on a national level is anticipated to set a new tourism record in 2024, with visitor numbers exceeding 33 million from 2023. Reportedly visitor arrivals have increased by a huge 20 percent in the first five months of 2024, with overall tourism revenues up by 16 percent.

Meanwhile, the debate on overtourism in Santorini and other popular tourist hotspots reveals a broader issue. It is difficult to find a balance between the economic benefits of tourism and the preservation of local communities and the surrounding environments.

As mass tourism is at its worst during the summer months, it would be ideal if those travelers with no school-going family could visit outside of July and August. Santorini is equally warm and sunny in June in the spring and September in the fall. The same can be said of Barcelona and Venice, where visiting without the crowds is a much more enjoyable travel experience.