Tourists in Greece are refusing to spend money and locals are struggling to cope
The country is facing a spending crisis as tourists are spending less money than expected
Greece, a top holiday spot worldwide, is grappling with an unexpected hurdle as it faces a spending pinch.
Even as tourist numbers skyrocketed this summer, the payoff for the locals hasn't been as sweet as hoped.
While visitor influx shot up by 21.3% in May and overall tourism revenue increased by 6.8%, new stats from the Bank of Greece paint a worrisome picture.
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Tourists have cut their spending on average by 12.2%. In 2023, international jet-setters forked out about €570 per trip - a dip of 3.5% compared to last year.
Looking ahead, gurus predict spendings might drop again by 3.6% next year, possibly pulling the average outlay down to around €550 per trip, reports the Express.
This downtick in spending comes alongside holidaymakers taking shorter vacations than before, with the average duration plummeting by 11.2% just last year.
Athens, rich in history, has taken a particular bashing, suffering from a 7% nosedive in spending per jaunt across the last couple of years. The trend is troubling, especially in the current climate of rampant inflation and rising costs.
Athens' Mayor, Harris Doukas, told Euronews: "Each visitor brings €0.40 to the city, and we haven't seen this money yet. We need to find a way to make tourism viable."
He stressed the need for sustainable tourism practices that benefit both the city and its residents. But Athens isn't riding this wave alone.
Tourist hotspots like Santorini and Mykonos are feeling the pinch as the boom leads to a severe housing crunch, with rents hitting the roof and locals under strain.
Professor Katerina Kikilia, of the University of West Attica, highlighted the impact, pointing out: "Athenians face daily the social and environmental impact. The housing crisis is huge."
On the island of Santorini, tour operator and local Gianluca Chimenti, who has 18 years of experience, can see the stark reality: "Although the streets are rammed to the rafters during the day, by night-time, the place is a ghost town."
Chimenti further lamented the misleading image portrayed online: "The problem is that social media are showing something completely different from what is the reality."
He added: "The truth is that the island is empty. Right now is like never before, it's the worst season ever."
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