In Greece, the government is planning new legislation that will increase disembarkation fees for cruise ship passengers, writes UNN citing eKathimerini.
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The move is motivated by a desire to spare popular island destinations such as Santorini and possibly Mykonos from the effects of excessive tourism.
According to a government official, the landing fee cannot "be lower than 10 euros for Santorini".
But opinions within the government are divided. Some officials even argue that "it is necessary to consider a complete ban on cruises around the Greek islands," the publication notes. The economic bloc, meanwhile, strongly opposes the idea, believing that Greece cannot afford to lose revenue from cruises.
The construction of a new port on Santorini at Monolithos is expected to bring relief, but in the long term.
"During the transition period, the main intervention will be an increase in the price of disembarkation, while a new study is expected to be requested on the daily number of visitors the island can accommodate. At the moment, the 8,000 passengers per day limit for the island does not reflect the realities on the ground," the publication writes.