Greece’s move against mass tourism and the increasing flow of cruise ships that dock at its shores will be finalized with the imposition of a €20 tax, which will initially apply only to the two islands, Mykonos and Santorini.

The plan to impose the tax was announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis himself at the 88th edition of the Thessaloniki International Fair, but it remains unclear when it will come into effect.

“Greece does not have a structural problem of overtourism. It has a problem concentrated in some destinations and in some weeks or months of the year. Cruises put pressure on Mykonos and Santorini and therefore the price will be 20 euros,” explained the head of the government of Athens in a press conference,Mitsotakis did not specify when the new tax would take effect, but expressed concern about the influx of cruise ships.

“Equally important is the intervention for the number of ships arriving at their destination at the same time. We will be quite bold at this point”, stressed the Greek Prime Minister, also recalling the “sustainability rules” regarding the new infrastructure.

In 2023, about 800 cruise ships carrying 1.3 million passengers landed on the island of Santorini, home to just 15,500 people, according to the Greek Ports Association.

Of the record 32.7 million tourists who visited Greece last year, around 3.4 million, or one in ten visitors, went to the island of Santorini.

Because of this unprecedented influx, the government now intends to crack down on the number of ships arriving at their destination at the same time, deeming it necessary to put the brakes on islands where the limits of infrastructure are being tested.