Greece warns 'no more UK tourists' as residents rage at 'overtourism' amid 'huge crisis'

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Locals in Greece are up in arms over the perceived "overtourism" by Brits. Shop fronts in Athens have been defaced with graffiti reading: "No more tourism," as a wave of unease also sweeps across Spanish holiday hotspots - from Lanzarote and Tenerife to Majorca.Katerina Kikilia, Professor of Tourism Management at the University of West Attica, told Euronews : "We need rules.

Athenians face daily social and environmental impacts. The housing crisis is huge."Athens played host to over 7 million tourists in 2023.Tourism experts are forecasting a 20 per cent surge this year, making the once-deserted August streets a thing of the past. "Once a beautiful neighbourhood, it's now a hub for short-term rentals, no families and no schoolchildren," Katerina lamented. "Each visitor brings €0.40 to the city, and we haven't seen this money yet," Mayor Harris Doukas told Euronews. "We need sustainable tourism that doesn't exacerbate city inequalities.", reports Birmingham Live.

Doukas has announced a study into tourism capacity to establish the city's limits and collect data on short-term rentals and hotels."The socio-cultural impact in urban areas is significant, tourists are displacing long-term residents and altering the character of the neighbourhoods.

The housing issue has become explosive," stated the Ombudsman in a report on sustainable tourism.Rental prices have soared, particularly in areas close to metro stops favoured by tourists.