The Greek government plans to significantly increase taxes for tourists starting next year to boost revenue from the tourism sector.
Reports from Greek media indicate that new taxes will apply across various areas, including daily charges at accommodations, city taxes, and fees for cruise ship passengers. These changes are expected to make visiting Greece more costly, according to Schengen News.
From 2025, visitors will face a daily tax increase from €0.50 to €2, with the rate jumping to €8 during the peak tourist season, which runs from April to October. Currently, high-season visitors pay €1.50 per day. Additionally, tourists staying in luxury hotels may incur a tax of €15 per night, while accommodations with lower ratings will have more modest charges.
The cruise tourism sector, which is projected to surpass eight million visitors in 2025—a 20% growth compared to the previous year—will also see increased fees. Depending on the destination, cruise passengers could pay as much as €20. Stops at popular islands like Santorini and Mykonos will carry this higher fee, while visits to other locations, including Athens and Crete, will cost €5 per day.
This increase in cruise taxes follows concerns raised earlier about the strain on small islands like Mykonos, where infrastructure struggles to accommodate large numbers of visitors. On some days during the 2023 summer, Mykonos, with a population of just 12,000, hosted up to 20,000 cruise passengers. Santorini also faced similar challenges, with daily arrivals reaching 17,000 during the busiest period, despite a local population of only 15,500.
The Greek government aims to generate €400 million annually from these taxes—almost double last year’s revenue—with plans to invest in tourism infrastructure improvements. This initiative also aligns with efforts to mitigate the impact of natural disasters, such as wildfires and floods, which frequently affect the country.
Tourism remains a cornerstone of Greece’s economy, contributing significantly to its recovery from the 2018 debt crisis. The latest figures from the Bank of Greece reveal that 24.89 million international visitors traveled to Greece between January and August 2024, generating €15 billion in revenue. Tourists primarily come from countries like France, Spain, the U.S., Italy, and Türkiye.
By introducing these measures, Greece seeks to enhance its tourism experience while addressing challenges posed by increasing visitor numbers and environmental risks.