Another popular travel destination has succumbed to pressure from locals who complained of overcrowding as rising rates of international tourism continue to put pressure on local amenities and businesses.
Greek authorities recently It has announced that strict action will be taken in tourist places Locals express frustration at overcrowded beaches in Corfu, Rhodes, the Salkidiki peninsula and Attica – the area around Athens – with sunbeds or rented chairs often covering every inch of sand.
Campaigners have long complained about the high cost and lack of access to beaches for locals. While it varies, the cost of renting a sunbed can range from A$166 (€100) depending on the island.
$566k in fines issued over five days
33 million people visited Greece last year, which is expected to increase by 5 million in 2022.
However, there is a problem with restaurants, bars and rental companies offering sunbeds as beach seats to customers without permission, leaving little space for locals. Earlier this month, local news outlets reported receiving 1,000 complaints, resulting in an infringement fine of A$566,000 (€350k) issued over five days.
„On the one hand, our goal is to protect the environment and citizens’ right to free access to the beach, and on the other hand, to protect the healthy entrepreneurship represented by our tourism product and businessmen. The job is right,” Kostis Hatzidakis, the Greek Minister of National Economy and Finance, said recently.
New rules to protect Greek beaches
By law, beaches in Greece must now be 70 percent sunless, or 85 percent for those in protected areas, where construction is now strictly limited.
Under new rules introduced in March, umbrellas and deck chairs must be at least four meters from the beach, and chair rentals are not allowed on smaller beaches with less than four meters of sand. However many businesses do not oblige.
Drones will now be used to monitor beach usage and establish an electronic reporting system so that people can highlight violations. Residents can report wrongdoing through an app.
European hotspots suffocate tourists
The move in Greece follows neighboring European countries Spain, Italy and Denmark, where authorities in each country recently announced major moves to help curb tourist arrivals.
Day visitors were put to the test in Venice, Italy, where they paid an $8 entrance fee during peak hours in an attempt to protect the city from overcrowding. While in Barcelona, Spain, thousands of people took to the streets to protest tourism, saying it has worsened their quality of life.
Meanwhile, in the Danish capital Copenhagen, authorities are taking a very different approach. They are now offering travelers perks that help sustain the city and its ecosystem through a bold new rewards program. Bali, Indonesia, has been working to crack down on unruly tourists and introduced a new tax on travelers earlier this year.
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