After a summer of all records in Greece, the tourism sector is showing its satisfaction. Attendance is expected to exceed that of 2019 – a year already considered exceptional – when 33 million people visited the country, more than three times its population.
The National Bank of Greece also forecasts revenue of 20 billion euros in 2022, against 18.2 billion three years ago. “How not to be satisfied with this season?, declare to World the Minister of Tourism, Vassilis Kikilias. In September and October, tourist flows remain very high. Our goal has always been to extend the period to allow the sector to benefit from revenues throughout the year. »
Behind this success, Greek concerns about hypertourism and the gentrification of urban centers are growing. The photo of the famous shipwreck beach, on the island of Zante, marred by rubbish hoarded by tourists, has made the rounds on social networks. On the island of Kythnos, the Koutsikos family notices that in August, “at night, after 10 p.m., there are often water cuts because of the large number of visitors”.
“My rent has increased by 30% in four years”
On the tourist island of Santorini, during each new school year, teachers, nurses and young medical interns cannot find accommodation. “Some of my colleagues had to sleep in tents or in their cars for days. I ended up welcoming two into my home. This is a problem that has been going on for years, without being solved”indignant Sakis Agorastos, a teacher, on the public television channel ERT.
“Currently, eight out of ten new investments are related to tourism” – Vassilis Kikilias, Minister of Tourism
Also in the capital, the proliferation of seasonal rentals is driving people out of tourist areas. Nikos Dragoumis, in his forties, had to leave his apartment in the Athens district of Koukaki, at the foot of the Acropolis, where there are more than 700 Airbnb accommodations, according to AirDNA. “I had lived there for fifteen years. My rent has gone up 30% in four years. This year, in June, my landlord finally told me that he preferred to transform his accommodation into an Airbnb, and I moved to the suburbs.explains the official.
Faced with the increase in real estate prices, Vassilis Kikilias believes that everything does not depend on the government: “Town halls and regions must take the initiative to develop housing for civil servants appointed to the islands, and the private sector must be able to accommodate their employees and seasonal workers in dignified conditions. »
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