Tourism in Greece it could collapse in 10 years unless major changes are made in the industry, experts warn with a study by the European Parliament.

The study rings the “bell” in Greece which, as it states suffers from “hyper-tourism” and is in imminent danger of jeopardizing the industry altogether.

The current tourism model is not sustainable and could lead to the collapse of the tourism sector and a large part of the Greek economy within the next 10 years, the report warns.

THE way of managing water and energythe care of cultural and historical sites and the preservation of the coastal zone in good condition are areas of concern to experts, according to the report.

The committee called for the development of a sustainable model for the tourism sector in Greece, arguing that there is currently a “lack of vision and strategy”.

The number of tourists increased dramatically in Greece in 2022 – 2023, with 33 million people visiting the country last year. Santorini, for example, has 15,550 permanent residents and generates around 1 billion euros per year. Last year, the island welcomed 2 million tourists. The increasing number of visitors has put severe pressure on the country’s cultural, historical and archaeological sites.

Acropolis – one of the world’s most visited monuments introduces measures such as timed entry tickets in an effort to cope with the overwhelming number of visitors daily. Also, there is a restriction on the number of cruise ship passengers visiting Santorini and traffic zones have been created on the Acropolis.

The report also warns that the influx of tourists has also caused water problems, with the availability of potable water a serious problem in many places. Energy consumption by the tourism industry is also a serious issue, particularly within hotel establishments.

“The general feeling that exists among citizens [είναι] that the coastal zone and its shared use are increasingly threatened by reckless, and sometimes arbitrary, tourism development,” the report adds.

However, the demand for accommodation has also increased. And this despite the fact that in some places, such as Athens, overnight stays in Airbnb-type accommodation now represent over 40% of available beds.

“Our country’s economy is highly dependent on tourism, which makes it even more imperative to manage it sustainably so that it becomes a source of wealth with long-term returns and does not exhaust its potential, wasting it and making our tourist destinations non- attractive in the long term,” the report says.

In Greece, tourism accounts for 25% of GDP and throughout the report there is an emphasis on developing a sustainable tourism model for the future, as the needs of “civil society” must be balanced with “the real economic benefit” of tourism.