Greek Ombudsman Calls for Urgent Reforms in Tourism Sector

Source: Lyubov Ivanova

Greece must reduce intensive construction near the sea to protect water resources and coastal areas, said tourism ombudsman Georgios Kaminis  In his report, he warned of the growing environmental and infrastructure risks associated with climate change, as well as the uncontrolled flow of travelers to the Greek islands.

According to Kaminis' report, more than 33 million tourists visited the country last year, 5 million more than in the previous period. And this trend continues. Despite the enormous contribution of the tourism sector to the country's GDP (it brings more than a quarter of Greece's economic income), such a rapid flow of travelers creates a dangerous load on the entire ecosystem of the state: archaeological sites are decaying, coastal areas are being intensively built up, water consumption is increasing, which leads to the shallowing of water bodies and the destruction of the unique flora and fauna of the region.

Greece is forced to take measures to regulate and limit visits to the main historical sights of ancient Hellas. Since January of this year, a tourist tax has been introduced here, the time for visiting historical monuments has been reduced, and some beaches and islands have been closed to entry altogether.

Despite this, the 2024 season is close to updating records: the influx of tourists in the first quarter increased by 20%. The expected growth in tourism revenue in Greece this year will exceed half a billion euros, reaching 21,000,000,000, the ombudsman's report says.