Destinations news Santorini Mayor Warns that too Much Tourism is Taking a Toll by GTP editing team 30 November 2016 written by GTP editing team 30 November 2016 2 comments Share 0FacebookTwitterLinkedinWhatsappEmail 11 Famous across the globe for its stunning beauty, the volcanic island of Santorini is now facing the dire consequences of too much tourism, which appears to be taking a toll on the very natural landscape it is known for. Santorini Mayor Nikos Zorzos. Speaking at a press conference in Athens on Tuesday, Santorini Mayor Nikos Zorzos warned that the island’s natural features are being destroyed and called on the government to immediately take measures in order to preserve farm land, enforce an integrated coastal management scheme and set up destination management organization. More than 1.3 million tourists visit the 73 km2 Cycladic isle every year. The island’s infrastructure – airport, port, road network, water supply and sewage system, energy grid – are unable to meet the demands of the over 85,000 visitors roaming its narrow pathways per day. At the same time, local businesses are unable to offer quality services to the hordes of travelers. The island’s mayor stresses that besides the extremely large number of beds and accommodation facilities, Santorini is also facing uncontrolled construction, referring among others to Vlychada, one of the most popular beaches there due to its breath-taking volcanic rock formations. Vlychada “What’s happening in Vlychada is a crime. Geological formations that are thousands of years old are being destroyed and not just by illegal but also legal construction,” he said. “If we want to salvage something of Santorini, we need to stop building on it.” Tourists on Santorini Island. The municipality has moved ahead in recent years with extensive infrastructure works in the areas of water and waste management. “Today, 11 percent of Santorini has been built, something that only compares with Attica. It has to stop at some point. The state has a responsibility to protect Santorini before it is completely destroyed by tourism,” Zorzos said, expressing his dissatisfaction over a company that has been excavating on the edge of the cliff in Vlychada in order to build a hotel. The mayor, as well as eight local associations, claim the project is illegal. Follow GTP Headlines on Google News to keep up to date with all the latest on tourism and travel in Greece. Share 0 FacebookTwitterLinkedinWhatsappEmail GTP editing team This is the team byline for GTP. The copyrights for these articles are owned by GTP. They may not be redistributed without the permission of the owner. previous post Arabs Introduced to Greece Tourism Investment Opportunities next post Low-cost Air Travel Taking a Bite Out of Greek Ferry Share You may also like Test post 6 June 2025 Greece’s Hotel Market Sees Major Investments Over Four Months 5 February 2025 Greek Tourism Ministry Monitors Santorini Situation as Seismic Activity Continues 5 February 2025 Global Air Passenger Demand Reaches Record High in 2024, IATA Reports 5 February 2025 Greek PM Reassures Public About Santorini’s Ongoing Seismic Activity 5 February 2025 Milos: Ministry Suspends 5-star Hotel Construction Near Sarakiniko Beach 5 February 2025 2 comments Carole Leblanc 2 December 2016 - 11:56 In June 2014, we were in Santorini, specifically in Vlychada to feel reel Santorini. Vlychada beach is stunning. Please protect it for the next generations… Reply Aline Dobbie 1 December 2016 - 11:57 I visited Santorini on 4th 5th October. The sheer volume of tourists was breathtaking and quite negative as not all behave with appropriate courtesy. It is an astounding island and worthy of inspection; we are so glad we went, but tourism and its impact must be considered. Like Venice it will slowly die if it become a sort of heritage zoo. My good wishes to Santorini, encourage more people to come in winter or very early spring. Reply Leave a Comment Cancel Reply Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ
