Blow to EU country booming with tourists as records smashed before summer

Despite spray-painted slogans ordering tourists to 'go home' and the city's politician declaring tourism is lone bringing successful pennies, airdrome numbers are connected the rise

Desperate pleas against over-tourism look to beryllium ignored, arsenic 1 peculiar hotspot is already flooded with visitors. It's supposedly debased play successful Athens - the superior of Greece - that erstwhile held 1 of the world's astir almighty civilisations and empires - but droves of holidaymakers are already successful afloat force.

With spectacular sights specified arsenic the Acropolis, and the National Archaeological Museum, self-stick-waving tourists from crossed the world flock to the metropolis each twelvemonth to soak successful the affluent civilization and history. Athens has besides go wildly fashionable with foodies wanting to effort retired section delicacies similar Souvlaki and Gyros - and is simply a convenient basal for those wanting to sojourn acclaimed sights connected the coast, similar the Temple of Poseidon.

But, with a trove of treasures similar nary other, Athens has go progressively much crowded - and locals aren't excessively blessed astir the ever-growing fig of tourists infiltrating the city. In the highest seasons, June - August, the metropolis tin beryllium astir unmovable, and queues to adjacent usage the edifice bath tin instrumentality forever.

Last year, hostility against tourists ramped up aft spray-painted slogans speechmaking 'Tourists spell home' and 'No tourists; nary hipsters' appeared connected walls successful fashionable areas. Residents reason that the soaring spike successful vacation rentals has priced them retired of the spot marketplace - portion rowdy tourists are causing changeless sound pollution.

Katerina Kikilia, prof of Tourism Management astatine the University of West Attica told EuroNews the metropolis needs 'rules' to clamp down connected the crowds. "Athenians look regular the societal and biology impact," she added. "The lodging situation is huge."

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Mayor Harris Doukas has besides spoken retired astir the issue, explaining that tourism doesn't bring successful arsenic overmuch wealth into the section system arsenic radical think: a communal statement against anti-tourism rhetoric. "Each visitant brings €0.40 to the city, and we haven't seen this wealth yet," he said. "We request sustainable tourism that doesn't worsen metropolis inequalities."

But, caller information shows that tourists travelling done Athens Airport really jumped 4.5 per cent successful January, compared to 2024, reaching a whopping 1.83 cardinal passengers. Flights astatine the hub spiked too, amounting to 16,546 past period - a 10.1 per cent rise. Domestic and planetary rider postulation exceeded past year's levels, by 5.1 per cent and 18.7 per cent respectively.

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