Italy And Greece’s Tourism Boom The Struggle Locals Face To Enjoy Iconic Beaches As Luxury Resorts Drive Prices Up Making It Almost Impossible For Them To Afford Traditional Summer Escapes

Published on August 27, 2025

Italy and Greece are facing a increasing situation arsenic tourism prices soar, making it progressively difficult for locals to spend formation holidays. Luxury resorts and precocious prices for formation amenities person pushed iconic coastal destinations retired of scope for many, forcing section families to settee for budget-friendly alternatives aliases time trips. In some countries, nan rising costs person created a divide, pinch overseas visitors enjoying entree to premium formation spots, while locals are near struggling to find affordable ways to acquisition their ain country’s earthy beauty.

An Athens section was among nan galore who took portion successful a caller four-hour excursion to Avlaki Beach, located astir an hour’s thrust northbound of nan Greek capital. With galore bringing on nan basics for a time by nan shore, nan segment painted a image of summertime holidays from a clip erstwhile vacations didn’t require royal spending.

Greece’s tourism assemblage is experiencing singular growth, pinch nan nation’s pristine waters and rugged coastlines becoming nan backdrop for countless societal media posts. Industry forecasts foretell that successful 2025, nan number of overseas visitors could beryllium up to 4 times nan country’s organization of 10 million, a inclination that mirrors information from 2024. However, nan booming tourism marketplace has near galore Greeks behind, incapable to return portion owed to rising costs and stagnant wages.

According to caller statistic from nan European Union, astir half of Greeks were incapable to spend a week-long vacation successful 2024, placing Greece 2nd successful nan bloc, conscionable down Romania. This stark opposition is seen erstwhile compared to different European nations—about 1 successful 3 Italians and 1 successful 5 French citizens managed to return a vacation. Though nan business has somewhat improved since 2019, which followed nan country’s financial crisis, it still highlights nan struggle galore Greeks look successful balancing their wages pinch nan costs of living.

The displacement towards luxury resorts has added to nan challenge. Once-affordable islands for illustration Santorini, Mykonos, and Paros, which were accessible to Greek families done guesthouses and campsites, are now dominated by high-end accommodations. These establishments cater predominantly to world visitors, further sidelining locals who could erstwhile bask these destinations without nan financial strain that now accompanies them.

Tourism plays a captious domiciled successful Greece’s economy, contributing astir 12% of nan country’s GDP. Despite this, arsenic businesses person shifted to service overseas tourists, galore person chosen to stay unfastened during nan summertime months. This inclination has near section workers without nan chance to return a summertime break, a contented that galore depended connected arsenic portion of their yearly routine.

Iosif Solanakis, a section circuit guide, is 1 illustration of nan effect this displacement has had connected Greeks. On a windless day successful August, Solanakis could beryllium recovered waiting for clients astatine nan guidelines of Athens’ Acropolis, preparing to return them connected a circuit via his electrical buggy. He is among those navigating nan challenges of a tourism manufacture that has progressively catered to world visitors, leaving small room for section workers to use from nan increasing influx of tourists.

The business successful Greece is reminiscent of akin challenges faced by neighboring countries. In Italy, for instance, societal media platforms person been flooded pinch complaints astir skyrocketing prices for basal formation essentials. The costs of renting a spot connected nan Italian Riviera, which includes 2 lounge chairs and an umbrella, tin scope up to 80 euros (\$93) per day. More exclusive locations complaint hundreds of euros, which places a modular formation vacation retired of scope for galore locals.

In contrast, successful Greece, much beachgoers are adopting a return to simpler days. Many are packing their ain umbrellas, reminiscent of nan 1980s, erstwhile a family time astatine nan formation didn’t impact spending ample sums connected rented equipment. In addition, much and much group are opting to return buses alternatively of ferries aliases flights, which has go different measurement to prevention connected nan rising costs associated pinch travel.

For those still trying to make nan astir of their summer, nan costs of a six-day land travel for a family of 4 tin scope arsenic precocious arsenic 3,500 euros (\$4,070). In a state wherever nan mean monthly income hardly exceeds 1,000 euros (\$1,160), specified an disbursal is often retired of scope for galore families. The business has go moreover much difficult pinch expanding rent and inferior costs that devour a important information of an individual’s income. As a result, galore Greeks are uncovering it progressively difficult to return portion successful nan tourism industry’s growth.

The tourism roar is undeniable, yet its benefits person not been arsenic distributed. While world visitors flock to Greece’s beaches and attractions, galore locals find themselves excluded from nan country’s rising tourism fortunes. The shifting scenery of Greece’s tourism manufacture has made it harder for nan mean Greek to bask nan nation’s beauty without a important financial sacrifice.

Italy and Greece are grappling pinch rising formation prices, making iconic destinations unaffordable for locals arsenic luxury resorts dominate. With soaring costs, galore locals are turning to budget-friendly alternatives and time trips, while overseas visitors proceed to flock to nan coast.

In summary, Greece’s booming tourism industry, fueled by a increasing influx of overseas visitors, has had a noticeable effect connected nan affordability of holidays for locals. As luxury resorts proceed to crowd retired budget-friendly options, galore Greeks are uncovering themselves incapable to partake successful nan very assemblage that contributes importantly to nan nation’s economy. The opposition betwixt nan vibrant tourism maturation and nan financial struggles faced by galore Greeks highlights nan ongoing challenges nan state faces successful achieving an inclusive recovery, 1 wherever nan benefits of its thriving tourism manufacture scope each corners of society. With precocious prices and rising surviving costs, nan dream of a elemental vacation by nan formation has go progressively difficult to attain for galore of Greece’s residents.