Cruise ship tourists hit with new £17 tax when visiting top European destination

The tax has now come into effect (Image: Getty)

Cruise passengers visiting Greece’s most iconic islands will now be subject to a new tourism tax, which came into effect yesterday, on Monday, July 21, as part of the country’s push toward more sustainable tourism. The "Sustainable Tourism Fee" as named by the Greek government, applies only to cruise ship visitors disembarking at Greek island ports. The amount charged depends on the island visited and the time of year, with higher fees targeting the two destinations reportedly experiencing intense overtourism - Santorini and Mykonos.

During the peak summer season (June to the end of September) cruise tourists will pay approximately £17.30 to visit Santorini or Mykonos while visitors disembarking at other Greek ports will pay around £4.30 during the same period. During the shoulder months, during October and from April to the end of May, the fee drops to £10.40 for Santorini and Mykonos, and £2.60 for other island ports.

The tax will be the highest for the popular islands of Mykonos and Santorini (Image: Getty)

In the low season (November to March), the charge is further reduced to just £3.40 for the busiest islands and £0.80 elsewhere.

A portion of the funds collected will be reinvested in local infrastructure, including waste management, public transport, and water supply, services that are heavily strained during the summer tourist influx.

According to a report by Greek newspaper, Kathimerini, nearly 1.5 million people visit Mykonos annually, with an additional 1.2 million of those arriving by cruise ship.

The island is reportedly home to just 11,000 residents and spans just 85 square kilometres, leading to increasing concerns about overcrowding and pressure on local infrastructure during peak tourist seasons.

In 2024, the Institute of the Greek Tourism Confederation (INSETE) reported that 35.9 million tourists excluding cruise passengers visited Greece, marking a sharp rise from 32.7 million in 2023.

Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said last year: "Greece does not have a structural overtourism problem [...] Some of its destinations have a significant issue during certain weeks or months of the year, which we need to deal with." 

He added: "Cruise shipping has burdened Santorini and Mykonos and this is why we are proceeding with interventions."

UK director of the Greek National Tourism Office, Eleni Scarveli, said: "This levy was introduced to help support the infrastructure of Greece’s most visited islands and ensure that local communities benefit more directly from cruise tourism.

"It reflects the need for a more sustainable balance between visitor numbers and the capacity of popular destinations like Santorini and Mykonos, while also helping to safeguard the quality of the visitor experience."

Earlier this year, Santorini also introduced a new daily cap of 8,000 cruise passengers to curb overcrowding.