Residents of the famous Greek island of Santorini are complaining about tourists. They want to limit their numbers. “Santorini is a miracle of nature that can turn into a monster,” warned the owner of a local hotel.
Santorini is one of the most striking examples of the toll that crowds of visitors can take on a destination. The island’s authorities have joined other places around the world in protesting the influx of tourists, such as Venice and Barcelona.
Last year, 3.4 million tourists visited the island, a growing number that strains aging infrastructure and pushes locals out of the property market, driving up prices.
Hoteliers want change
Santorini Mayor Nikos Zorzos is in favor of reducing the number of tourists arriving by cruise ships to 8,000 per day. It is currently around 17,000. “It is in the best interest of our land to introduce a limit,” the mayor added.
Georgios Damigos, a local hotel owner, complains about the deterioration of the standard of living of local residents. “Santorini is a miracle of nature that can turn into a monster,” he warned.
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Some, however, are happy about the increased number of tourists on the island. “Everything is possible when there is planning and infrastructure,” said Alexandros Pelekanos, a representative of the local traders' association. “Do we want money or not? Do we want to have work and income or not? You can't have peace and quiet and earn money,” he said.
Main image source: Pit Stock/Shutterstock