The Greek Island Once Considered the Most Beautiful in the World Now Feels Like a "Ghost Town": "Tourists Aren't Coming and There's a Reason"
It is especially popular for its picturesque views of the caldera, iconic white houses with blue domes, and unforgettable sunsets. Every year, Santorini faces a massive influx of tourists who flood the narrow streets of towns like Fira and Oia.
During the summer season, visitors flock to the narrow alleyways between whitewashed houses and lookout points, often causing major congestion and long wait times. Despite its beauty and charm, the island is struggling to cope with the volume of guests, prompting Greeks in recent years to consider imposing limits and promoting sustainable tourism, as the pressure on infrastructure and the environment has become increasingly severe.
If in past years locals often complained about the overwhelming number of tourists, it seems this year they won’t have such concerns — for the first time since the pandemic, the number of visits has significantly declined. The reason? Seismic activity on the island has deterred many international travelers. Currently, the main streets are free of crowds, which is highly unusual and almost unimaginable for Santorini during the summer months — reports Nova.rs.
Although the number of arrivals has slowly started to rise in recent weeks, it is still far below the levels of previous years. The president of the Santorini Hoteliers Association, Antonis Pagoni, told Euronews that the Greek economy will feel the consequences of this decline.
"This is a huge drop in revenue for a destination like Santorini, which attracts more than three million visitors every year. That accounts for 10 percent of Greek tourism. We’re not sure that Greece can afford to lose that kind of income," he added.
According to shop owners, tourists are spending significantly less this year — not only on food, but also on souvenirs.
