German tour operators have reacted with anger and little understanding to the recent increase of fees for cruise passengers and of accommodation taxes announced by the Greek tourism Ministry last week.
In a letter to the Ministry the German Travel Association (DRV) has asked for a transitional period in the implementation of the fees and special treatment for holiday packages already sold for 2025, as it is unable to pass on the cost of the extra levies to customers who have already paid for their holiday package as well as for the tour operators themselves to bear these costs, news24/7.gr reported.
In addition, the DRV warned that the German market is particularly sensitive to price competitiveness, noting that in recent years there has been a shift of customers from the Western Mediterranean to the more competitively priced Eastern Mediterranean, clearly implying Greece and that there may be a new shift.
DRV’s letter to Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni stated that “the German travel “we observe with concern Greece imposing many new taxes and levies on holidaymakers or significantly increasing existing fees in a relatively short period of time. In addition to the cruise passenger levy, this concerns in particular the ‘climate resilience fee,’ which is to be increased significantly.”
Last week, the Greek Tourism Ministry announced a fee raise for cruise ship passengers visiting Mykonos and Santorini as well as rise of accommodation tax especially for short-term rentals.
The DRV’s letter comes amid increasing information from the contacts of Greek hoteliers with their foreign partners about the difficulties they face in managing the charges that will be imposed, at least with the data so far for the 2025 season, daily kathimerini reported.
The cruise passengers leaves no money behind when they visit an island because they have full accomodation on the ship. Therefore it is right that they pay to visit the island!! Why should the islands be full of tourists that dont give them an income, they just cram the streets and demand service?
I am a tourist myself and I gladly pay the tourist tax if it means that Greece still remains Greece!! But, sadly!, I have noticed signs this year that shows that greek people themselves are giving up on greek traditions in both architechture and customs, that is depressing!! You greeks should be proud of your legacy and stand against these “trends” of so called “luxury” with a pool to every room and so forth…. Otherwise I belive you will loose the special feeling of just Greece that so many tourists come for and loose the tourists…!
They have plenty of money .
That is why they can afford these expensive holidays .
Let them !
So, you mean that just because they have money they can ruin Greece and greek traditions?? Hear, hear, Mammon talks……
You are thereby willing to give up what is truly greek to gain money in the short time period! Because when Greece is not Greece anymore but just a “mainstream” tourist resort then the tourists will go somewhere else… Since the Medeterranian countries will all look the same, it will be no difference between them, so why come to Greece?????? I dont think that is what you want at all, you have to look ahead some 10 years or so……. And the burden on your sweet water will increase so much that it will be a much worse problem than it is today.
but also the greeks that earn 1000 a month will have to pay 8 euros per day to a government that already taxes them to the hilt, no they don’t have plenty of money.
The Greek that comes to visit their relatives or the hospital and stays in any accommodation will pay 8 euros per day to the government.
Where will this money go? maybe some environmental reports and god knows what else, lets not mention it