Greece will soon introduce a 20-euro tax for cruise ship visitors traveling to Santorini and Mykonos during the busy summer months. This decision, announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on September 8, 2024, aims to manage the rising number of tourists and prevent overtourism on these islands. Santorini, with just 20,000 permanent residents, faces heavy pressure from tourism, especially from cruise ships. Mitsotakis emphasized that while most of Greece does not suffer from overtourism, specific areas like Santorini and Mykonos experience challenges during peak seasons. Tourism remains a crucial part of Greece’s economy, which has been recovering from a financial crisis.

To further address these issues, the Greek government will introduce new policies to regulate cruise ship traffic and limit the number of vessels docking at the same time. The revenue collected from the new cruise tax will be used for local infrastructure improvements. The government also plans to enforce stricter environmental regulations and manage water shortages that often affect these islands. In addition, Greece is considering raising taxes on short-term rentals and possibly restricting new rental licenses in central Athens to create more housing for residents.