Beginning July 21, cruisers heading to Greek islands will be required to pay an extra sustainable tourism fee, up to 20 euro per person, depending on the destination.?

The new tourist tax was originally announced last year and is now in effect across the Greek Isles, including Mykonos and Santorini. Those who encouraged the passing of the new tax law say that it will help the heavily touristed destinations to cope with rising tourism and maintain their infrastructure. ?

According to Euro News, travelers will be required to pay a range of 5 euro to 20 euro depending on the destination. The most popular islands, Mykonos and Santorini, are the most expensive to visit. The tourist tax will be in effect during the high season from June 1 through September 30.?

A smaller tourist tax will also be required during shoulder season: in October and from April 1 through May 31, cruise travelers will be required to pay 12 euro to visit Mykonos and Santorini and just 3 euro for the other islands.?

During the colder months from November 1 through March 31, the tax drops to just 4 euro and 1 euro, respectively.?

The World Tourism Forum reports that with the islands struggling to cope with overtourism¡¯s impact: water shortages, overcrowding and environmental degradation, the estimated $45 million the new tax is expected to generate each year would help immensely with infrastructure upgrades, year-round sustainable tourism models, port development and conservation of both environmental and historical sites.?

It may also encourage more travelers to visit during the cheaper off-season times of year, which would alleviate some of the pressures from overcrowding the islands experience during the summer.?

How will Greece¡¯s Tourist Tax Work??

Greek nationals, children and infants are all required to pay the fee; there are no exceptions.

Cruise lines both big and small have begun outlining how the process works for every passenger on their websites.?

MSC Cruises, for example, explains that the tourist fee will be charged to a traveler¡¯s shipboard account the night before disembarkation before each visit to a Greek port. Should a passenger choose not to visit the port and remain on the ship instead, the charge will be refunded within 24 hours.?

Small ship cruise line Celestyal advises its guests similarly; they are also required to acknowledge payment of the fee during embarkation.?

Why a Tourist Tax??

New sustainability taxes on tourism, from accommodations to cruise passengers, are becoming increasingly common among destinations grappling with overtourism, from Venice¡¯s entry fee to Hawai¡¯i¡¯s landmark new ¡°Green Fee.¡±?

While it¡¯s a good way of generating more money for specific projects (funding for tourism-related projects is woefully small, compared to how much money tourism generates around the world), the World Travel & Tourism Council cautioned in a new report on overcrowding that tourist taxes are only helpful for funding projects, not addressing issues of overcrowding or creating a sustainable solution for the future.?

Other cruise ports have instead chosen to limit the size of cruise ships that enter their ports, choosing to welcome ships with smaller capacities so they aren¡¯t overrun with tens of thousands of tourists each day. Nice, Amsterdam, Dubrovnik and Barcelona are just some of the cruise ports restricting some of the larger vessels from entering.?

At the end of the day, solving overtourism so that residents are happy and travelers feel comfortable is a complex problem that requires creativity and a unique approach for every destination.?

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