Mitsotakis: ‘Greece does not have an overtourism problem’

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has pushed back against the notion that Greece faces an overtourism problem, while emphasizing that the government will step in with regulations when necessary.

“Greece does not have an overtourism problem; rather, it faces the challenge of concentrated tourist activity in specific destinations for a few months of the year,” Mitsotakis said during a fireside chat with Kathimerini Executive Editor Alexis Papachelas on the opening day of the “Reimagine Tourism in Greece” conference.

However, Mitsotakis acknowledged that the influx of visitors has pushed some Greek islands to their capacity. “In certain Aegean islands, during peak months, the infrastructure is being stretched. With better infrastructure, theoretically, we could accommodate more tourists,” he noted, while clarifying that there is no fixed limit on the number of visitors Greece can handle.

He highlighted that the focus should be on the spending habits of tourists rather than simply increasing visitor numbers. “The question is not whether we want more tourists, but whether we want tourists who will spend more in our country,” Mitsotakis said. “Our priority is on boosting revenue. I am more interested in breaking revenue records, which is, of course, tied to the number of arrivals, but more importantly, I focus on tourism’s overall impact on the country’s development.”

Mitsotakis pointed to government action when tourism becomes unsustainable, citing the introduction of limits on cruise ship arrivals at popular islands like Mykonos and Santorini. “We understand that the pressures on these islands can ultimately harm our tourism product. We do not want it to reach the point where these islands suffer such damage that visitors have an unpleasant experience,” he said, “That’s why we were compelled to step in.”

When asked about the anti-tourism protests seen in Spain, Mitsotakis said he does not foresee such backlash happening in Greece. “I don’t think we will see such incidents here,” he said, noting that cities like Barcelona, which has seen protests, host around 30 million visitors annually, whereas Athens, despite being larger, receives fewer than 10 million.

Organized by Kathimerini and its partners, the “Reimagine Tourism in Greece” summit is an annual event aimed at promoting sustainable tourism by gathering leading thinkers, political and business leaders, and key figures in the hospitality industry.