Greece Imposes Tourist Ship Passenger Tax

A measure imposed by the Greek government, which provides for a tax on passengers of tourist ships that dock at the Greek islands, came into effect today, CE Report quotes Kosova Press.

In particular, during the high season (from June 1 to September 30) the tax reaches 20 euros per passenger for the famous destinations of Mykonos and Santorini, in the Cyclades archipelago, and 5,0 euros for other Greek islands.

According to the law, cruise companies will pay the tax, which will be reflected in the ticket prices paid by passengers, ANSA writes.

"The revenue from the measure will be distributed to the municipalities involved, the Ministry of the Navy for interventions in ports, and the Ministry of Tourism for improving the tourist offer," reports the Greek newspaper "Protothema", according to which the government estimates annual revenue of around 50 million euros for this tax.

The measure was announced last year by the government in an attempt to regulate tourism on islands like Santorini and Mykonos, where the number of visitors is straining infrastructure.

The number of foreign visitors to Greece reached 40,7 million last year, marking a 12,8% increase from 2023, according to data from the Bank of Greece.

Cruise tourism also saw strong growth, with revenues increasing by 22,4% to 1,11 billion euros.