Schools in Greece are being left empty as many locals are being pushed out of their homes due to tourism numbers reaching eye-watering levels.
Tourism in Greece soared by a staggering 120 percent between 2019 and 2023 as crowds of holidaymakers each year flock to the beautiful country to experience the glorious sun and beautiful white sandy beaches.
In May 2023 alone, total tourism revenue increased by 6.8 percent, while arrivals rose by 21.3 percent.
Despite Greece succeeding in attracting more tourists locals are feeling the pinch and being squeezed out of their neighbourhoods as they simply can’t afford to live in places overrun with tourists.
In Athens, the most visited Greek city in 2023, many schools are being left empty as the housing crisis in the capital intensifies.
Katerina Kikilia, head of the Department of Tourism Management at the University of West Attica, believes the rising number of tourists represents a “great danger” to the country.
She told Turkish news agency Anadolu: “In the central neighbourhood of Koukaki, school headmasters complain about the significantly decreasing number of pupils, as many families who couldn’t afford the skyrocketing rents had to move out.
“So many areas and neighbourhoods of Athens have been occupied by short-term rental accommodation and have become tourist accommodation hubs, resulting in a shortage of houses for rent for workers, students and families.”
Greek authorities are currently working on policies to include placing stricter regulations on short-term rentals in a bid to protect locals’ livelihoods.
Although tourism in Greece has seen a notable increase, tourists’ pockets don’t seem to be as deep.
Weak European economies, as well as Greek inflation, had led European visitors, in particular, to restrict their spending.
The decline in tourist spending is also down to rising airline and ferry prices, prompting international travellers to rethink their budgets and cut back on accommodation expenses.
To combat the crisis Kikilia suggested the tourism industry needs to be more selective.
She said: “We need to restrict the tourism flows. We need to be more selective. We need to attract more tourists from middle and high-income classes, instead of those coming with a tight budget.”
