75% of those who took part in a survey assessed the impact of tourism in Greece as positive or rather positive, whilst 25% held the opposite view. The survey, conducted by the company aboutpeople on behalf of the ETERON Institute, recorded the views of people living in Greece regarding the impact of tourism and the phenomenon of “overtourism”. The survey was carried out online from 22 to 24 July 2024, with a sample of 1,002 men and women aged 17 and over, providing nationwide coverage. Respondents living in tourist areas assessed the impact of tourism in their area. 67.2% consider the impact to be positive or rather positive, whilst 30.8% characterise it as negative or rather negative. At national level, 74.4% assessed the impact of tourism in Greece as positive or rather positive, whilst 24.4% held the opposite view. 30.5% believe that Greece is suffering from overtourism and that immediate measures to curb it are needed, 45.6% believe that the country is not yet facing a problem of overtourism, but that caution is required in the future, and 19.6% are not concerned about overtourism and believe that the more tourists visit, the better.
Those who state that they live in a tourist area say: 21.6% that their place of residence suffers from overtourism, 54.7% that their area does not currently suffer from overtourism but will require attention in the near future, whilst 19.3% are not concerned about overtourism and believe that the more tourists, the better. The survey examines the effects of tourism in Greece in areas such as employment, the economy, cultural events, rents, punctuality, lifestyle, the character of the country, environmental pollution and the safety of residents. The assessment is carried out on a scale where (1) represents absolutely negative effects, (4) indicates little impact and (7) represents entirely positive effects. Participants consider that tourism has a positive impact on the economy (average 5.61), employment (average 5.30) and cultural events (average 4.86). On the other hand, the impact of tourism on environmental pollution (average 2.97), punctuality (average 2.89) and rents (average 2.34) is considered negative. The character/identity of the country (average 4.07), lifestyle (average 3.86) and the safety of residents (average 3.84) are identified as areas that are not particularly affected by tourism.
The views of residents living in tourist areas on the impact of tourism on their local area are also presented. The positive impact is particularly strong in terms of jobs and the economy, with average scores of 5.17 and 5.11 respectively, followed by cultural events, with an average score of 4.52. The least positive impacts relate to environmental pollution, punctuality and rents, with average scores of 3.07, 2.84 and 2.45 respectively. Residents’ safety, with an average of 3.90, is not particularly affected, nor is the character or identity of the country, which is rated at an average of 3.86, or lifestyle, with an average of 3.78. The survey also records views on the protests and reactions against overtourism taking place in various cities across Europe. 59.4% of participants agree or tend to agree with these protests, 24.2% disagree or tend to disagree, whilst 13.6% have no opinion. Regarding the protests calling for fewer sunbeds and more free beaches, 88.8% agree or tend to agree, whilst only 8.1% disagree or tend to disagree.