Survey: Greeks Not Overly Concerned About Overtourism Yet

Photo source: UNWTO

What do Greeks think of overtourism (the phenomenon where destinations are overwhelmed by too many tourists, leading to various negative impacts on the local environment, infrastructure, and community)?

A new report by Eteron, an institute for research and social change, reveals that 30.5 percent of those surveyed believe overtourism is a problem in Greece and that immediate action is needed to address it.

However, a larger percentage, 45.6 percent, believe overtourism is “not yet a problem” for Greece, although they emphasize the need for vigilance and careful monitoring in the future.

Additionally, 19.6 percent expressed no concern about overtourism, stating that “the more tourists visit Greece, the better”.

Archive photo of tourists on Mykonos island, Greece.

Eteron’s study follows global protests against overtourism this year and reports on its impact on certain Greek destinations. The study focuses on the perceptions of Greeks regarding overtourism in their country.

Among residents of tourism destinations, 67.2 percent responded “positive or rather positive” when asked about the impact of tourism in their area, while 30.8 percent had a “negative or rather negative” view. On a national level, 74.4 percent stated that the impact of tourism on Greece is “positive or rather positive”, with less than one in four, 24.4 percent, expressing the opposite opinion.

Moreover, 82.4 percent of respondents said that tourism positively impacts the Greek economy, while 72.1 percent believe it has a favorable influence on the job market.

In terms of ratings, with a top score of 7, respondents rated the economic impact of tourism very positively, giving it a score of 5.61. They also viewed tourism as beneficial for employment, with a score of 5.30, and positive for cultural events, with a score of 4.86. However, opinions were more neutral regarding tourism’s impact on the country’s identity, with a rating of 4.07.

On the downside, respondents felt that tourism negatively affects rental prices, giving it the lowest score of 2.34 out of 7. They also cited negative impacts on inflation, with a score of 2.89, and on the environment, with a score of 2.97.

Conducted by the “aboutpeople” research agency, the survey took place in late July via the internet and included a sample of 1,002 people aged 17 and older.