A Trojan war has broken out between rival areas of Greece over cruise ships with the capital Athens announcing new measures to welcome them. But it comes as one island considers tough new curbs.
Stunning islands like Santorini have announced strict new measures to clamp down on cruise ships numbers as they struggle to cope with more than 11,000 tourists a day.
But in the Greek capital authorities are aiming to make it easier for passengers arriving and departing from Athens International Airport (AIA) with new links to the cruise ship terminal.
According to newspaper Kathimerini a new service starting on Saturday will “link AIA with the Piraeus Cruise Terminal in collaboration with ground service providers Skyserv and Swissport Greece and with support from Piraeus Port”.
The new system will take passengers via shuttle bus straight to their cruise ship, and for those finishing their cruise new short excursions will be offered into Athens to allow tourists to look around the ancient city before their flight.
Passengers will also be given their boarding passes when they leave their ship.
The move by authorities in Athens appears to be at odds with measures taken on beautiful Greek islands like Santorini, which is just a five-hour cruise away.
The island has seen rocketing numbers of visitors in recent years, many of whom come for the perfect social media snap of a sunset with the iconic white-washed buildings and their blue rooftops in the background.
Faced with mounting pressure on the island’s infrastructure, Santorini’s mayor Nikos Zorzos said: “Starting in 2025, we will reinstate this cap to preserve our island as a unique destination.”
And in an attempt to curb the impact of over-tourism the Environment Ministry of the Greek Government introduced draft legislation which could see the implementation of strict building restrictions on hotels and holiday lets in Santorini.
The island’s geography is made up of an ancient steep-sided caldera from an extinct volcano and now restrictions are being put in place for this region.
Currently under public consultation, the proposed law seeks to halt new construction projects, including a ban on new hotels, building extensions and swimming pools.
It aims to halt any new infrastructure which could modify the island’s natural character, amid local authorities campaigns to protect and preserve the traditional landscape and beauty of the island.