Aegean Island Authorities Up in Arms over Proposed Tourism Levy, Warn of Action, Repercussions

Karpathos Island.

Local authorities and tourism professionals from the Aegean islands are up in arms over recent leaks that the government is looking into introducing a special tax on tourism and warn that they will take action to ensure that the only productive sector in the country remains in tact.

Representatives from the regions of the North and South Aegean issued a joint statement on Wednesday, expressing their discontent over rumored government plans to impose a special tourism tax, adding that should such a measure be enacted, the implications to the tourism industry will be devastating.

In their statement, local authorities claim the measures are not well researched and will inevitably lead to a shrinking number of bookings and the reduction of the Greek economy’s strongest sector.

“Those seeking the country’s salvation through the destruction of Greek tourism should consider that if 40 percent of the country’s tourism enterprises collapse, so will the country,” the statement reads.

“We are expressing our deep concern over the possibility of a special tax on the tourism sector affecting the islands… if these measures are adopted in the midst of the tourism season, we are confident that Greek tourism, the only productive sector of the Greek economy, will suffer.”