Tuesday, January 16, 2024
There will be charging of new fee to all tourists visiting Greece ahead of summer. The imposition of tax will be on the basis of the official rating of the accommodation.
It is from the months of March to October.
Brits heading on Greece holidays will have to fork out for a new tax when staying in the country.
The introduction of the cash fee, will reflect later this month. It is part of efforts to repair damage caused by recent wildfires and floods linked to climate change.
Hotel fees in Greece are set to rise as a result, with one or two-star hotels increasing by 1.50 euros per night, three-star hotels by 3 euros, four-star hotels by 7 euros, and five-star hotels by 10 euros.
The Greek government hopes this will bring in an extra 300 million euros in 2024.
The new tax will also apply to short-term rentals booked online.
Apartments charged at 1.50 euros and single-family homes and luxury accommodations at 10 euros per night.
The tax amount will be roughly halved to the current rate of the already active ‘tourist tax’ during the off season, which runs from November to February.
Unlike the previous accommodation tax, the new tax will also apply to short-term rentals booked through online platforms.
This comes after severe flooding in Greece last September. It is the worst in the country’s history, which caused seventeen casualties and significant damage to infrastructure.
The government estimated that repairing railroads alone would cost more than 150 million euros.
The Greek island of Rhodes was one of a number of locations which under the grip of serious wildfires.
It led to widespread evacuation and enormous, expensive damage to tourist infrastructure.
Despite the issues, Greece remains one of the most popular destinations in Europe this year. Between January and September, international arrivals in Greece were up 7% from 2019.
The report is according to the European Travel Commission.
This isn’t the first time tourists visiting Europe have been hit with a new charge.
Last year it was announced that Venice will start charging tourists a new daily fee from Spring in a bid to deter huge crowds from overwhelming the City of Water.
The plans come after UNESCO raised the alarm about the impact the high volume of visitors were having on Venice and the need for urgent action.
While the daily fee may seem small, across a week’s stay, a family of four could end up paying more than £100 to the city, on top of the cost of accommodation, transport and souvenir model gondolas.
Bali, recently named the second most popular holiday spot for 2024, will introduce the fee from February 14. Local news reports say the levy will be IDR 150,000, roughly £7.50.
This Greek island’s most Instagrammed tourist attraction is at risk of washing away.
Recent posts on Instagram, however, show just how much the vessel has deteriorated over the course of the last decade.
Now, the state of the boat has come to the attention of authorities over fears it might be completely washed away – along with it a large chunk of the island’s income from tourism.
Can you still visit Zante’s shipwreck beach?
Navagio Beach, often nicknamed Shipwreck Beach or Smugglers’ Cove, is famous for the wreck of MV Panagiotis which ran aground in 1980.
Its legendary appearance is due to the rumours that the ship was carrying contraband and was abandoned by the crew during a bad storm to escape the pursuing navy.
Surrounded by pristine pale sand and dramatic limestone bluffs, the bay is one of the island’s most visited and photographed spots.
In 2018, the beach was briefly closed and swimming and boat anchoring were forbidden after a portion of the cliff above collapsed.
In September 2022 another landslide occurred, sparked by a 5.4-magnitude earthquake between Kefalonia and Zakynthos.
Access to the beach was prohibited once again and has remained so other than for boats approaching from the water.
Zante’s iconic shipwreck is at risk of washing away
The delicate cliffs cupping the bay are not the only danger to the shipwreck.
A recent spate of bad weather caused pieces of the schooner to break off, according to local press.
Comparison photos show how the wreck has been deteriorating for years.
Residents and tourism operators have urged authorities to intervene immediately to protect the vessel, citing its importance for the island’s income.
Some have even volunteered to manage and pay for the conservation of the shipwreck themselves.
Zakynthos mayor Giorgos Stasinopoulos and MP Dionysis Aktypis are now calling on Greece’s Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Economy and Finance to take action to protect the site.
The municipality of Zakynthos wants to take over the management of the shipwreck and the restoration of damage.
This includes control over maintenance, security and the demarcation of public zones of access and viewing points.
The mayor is also proposing the installation of a controlled entry system with an electronic payment method.
At the time of writing, there was no acceptance of proposals. But local authorities are urging swift action before the popular tourist attraction disappears completely.
Tags: greece, Tourist tax
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