Greece is set to introduce a €20 fee for cruise ship passengers visiting its most popular islands, including Santorini and Mykonos.
This move aims to manage the large number of tourists and protect the local environments of these beautiful places. The fee will vary depending on the island and the season, with higher charges for Santorini and Mykonos and lower fees for other islands like Rhodes, Corfu, and Crete’s port of Heraklion.
During busy tourist seasons, the charges will be higher to help manage the increased number of visitors, while off-peak seasons will see lower fees to encourage tourism during quieter times.
To further control the number of tourists, the Greek government plans to limit the number of cruise ships allowed to dock at these popular islands, especially during busy seasons.
Starting in 2025, Santorini will cap the number of cruise passengers at 8,000 per day. A digital system will be used to manage the arrival of cruise ships, spreading out ship arrivals throughout the day to prevent overcrowding and ensure a more pleasant experience for visitors.
The cruise industry in Greece is expected to see a 20% increase in arrivals in 2024, bringing more than 8 million passengers to the country.
Local authorities, including Santorini Mayor Nikos Zorzos, support these measures to limit cruise visitors, although they know that cruise lines will need to adjust their schedules, which are often planned years in advance, to follow these new rules.
The idea of a day-tripper fee is not new. Earlier this year, Venice implemented a similar fee, charging day visitors €5 to access the island.
This trial generated more than €2.4 million in less than three months, leading to proposals to double the fee in 2025.
The expected benefits of Greece’s new fee structure may inspire other popular tourist destinations to implement similar measures, helping to manage tourist numbers and protect local environments, ensuring sustainable tourism for the future.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
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