Greece urges UK holidaymakers to swap their Spain trips for a holiday there instead

Greece’s Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has suggested that UK tourists should consider swapping their usual Spanish holidays for a trip to Greece.

In an effort to attract more UK visitors, Greece is encouraging holidaymakers to choose its beautiful shores instead of Spain.

Prime Minister Mitsotakis recently addressed concerns about overtourism, explaining that the real issue isn’t too many tourists overall, but the large crowds visiting certain hotspots during peak months.

At the "Reimagine Tourism in Greece" event, Mr Mitsotakis said, "Greece doesn’t have an overtourism problem. The challenge is the concentration of tourists in a few destinations for a few months each year."

He explained that in some Aegean islands, infrastructure struggles during the busiest months. He added, "With better infrastructure, we could handle more tourists."

Mr Mitsotakis is eager to attract more visitors, especially following Spain’s recent changes. He said, "It’s not just about having more tourists, but about having tourists who spend more in our country."

The Prime Minister emphasised that boosting revenue is the main focus. While the number of arrivals is important, he’s more concerned about the overall impact of tourism on Greece’s development. He also noted that the protests seen in Spain over tourism issues are not expected in Greece.

During peak season, islands like Santorini and Mykonos will introduce a 20-euro (£16.75) fee to help manage overcrowding, while other destinations will have lower fees depending on tourist numbers.

This move is aimed at easing congestion during the busy months, with part of the funds being used to improve local infrastructure, particularly in popular cruise destinations.

Mr Mitsotakis also highlighted the challenges Santorini faces due to its unique landscape. He announced plans for a new port to be built under the Ministry of Infrastructure, which will be completed as soon as possible to support the island’s growing tourism needs.

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