Greece has decided to put an end to overtourism on Mykonos and Santorini – and they did it by hiking tourist taxes through the roof! Forget those tiny fees from a few years ago; now you’ll pay between 1.5 and 2 euros per day for an apartment, and hotels charge from 4 up to a whopping 10 euros per room daily! Yes, you read that right – ten euros a day just for the tourist tax in luxury hotels! And that’s not all – Mykonos and Santorini have introduced a one-time 20-euro entry tax because locals said, “Enough is enough!” The massive influx of tourists is suffocating life on the islands, driving up real estate and service prices, and locals are suffering. Aleksandar Seničić from YUTA explains that the goal of these measures is to reduce tourist numbers and protect everyday life for residents. Similar steps are being taken by other tourist hotspots like Venice, where the tax is rising from 5 to 10-15 euros during the season. Although package prices have increased by 5 to 20 percent, the main culprit is expensive air travel, which has surged due to inflation and the conflict in Eastern Europe. Interestingly, the number of booked packages to Greece this year is down by 10-12 percent compared to last year, and the season is expected to end with about 10 percent fewer tourists. More people are traveling independently, and travel agencies warn about online scams. If you’re planning a trip to Greece, brace yourself for extra costs and double-check all details before booking. So, what do you think about these taxes? Is this the end of cheap vacations on the Greek islands or just the start of a new era? Drop a comment and let’s see who’s for and who’s against!
Greece Hikes Tourist Taxes: Travelers, Get Your Wallets Ready!
