Tourists Trash Greece!

According to MSN, Greece is in the process of banning cruise ships.
“Athens is plagued by high rents and short-term rentals,” due to cruise ships. The government is willing to reduce the annual number of cruise ships to help preserve the quality of life of the locals.
Furthermore, the Greeks state that tourists not only crowd the streets but drop trash everywhere. The Greeks say that this season of tourism is the “worst season” ever!
The local people can’t move about easily due to traffic jams and crowds all over Athens. Demanding tourists, they claim, decrease the availability of everyday rentals for Greeks and family members who want to visit when they come to town.
Overpriced rentals in poor conditions. “Rental rates have increased by 14.3% compared to the previous year. Tourism in Greece is 25-30% of the country’s GDP but the money isn’t trickling down to local economies quickly enough.
Cruise ship tourists apparently rush to the landmarks, crowd the streets, don’t’ spend money or buy food or souvenirs because everything they need is found on the ship. On the Greek islands, people are priced out because social media has triggered a surge of tourists who drive up the prices for everyone.
I will continue to mindfully consider less traveled cities and venues for vacations and quick getaways mainly to keep my own travel costs down and now, to reduce my impact on the locals. The small businesses in Greece wish that tourists would sleep in their towns for a few nights instead of settling for a trashy day trip off a cruise ship. This act alone would bring food and lodging money to vendors throughout the country.

Link to article: Greece is in the middle of an anti-cruise rebellion, with locals complaining about over-tourism and trashed streets (msn.com)

#cruiseship #traveldestinations #greece