75% of those who participated in a survey assessed the impact of tourism in Greece positively or rather positively, while 25% have the opposite opinion. The survey conducted by the company aboutpeople on behalf of the ETERON Institute recorded the opinions of the inhabitants of Greece regarding the impact of tourism and the phenomenon of “overtourism”. The survey was conducted online from July 22 to 24, 2024, on a sample of 1,002 men and women aged 17 and over with 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, while 30.8% characterize it as negative or rather negative. At the national level, 74.4% assessed the impact of tourism in Greece positively or rather positively, while 24.4% have the opposite opinion. 30.5% believe that Greece suffers from overtourism and immediate containment measures are needed, 45.6% believe that the country is not yet facing a problem of overtourism, but caution is required in the future, and 19.6% are not worried about overtourism and believe that the more tourists visit us, the better.
Those who declare that they live in a tourist area state: 21.6% that their place of residence suffers from overtourism, 54.7% that their area does not have overtourism, but needs attention in the immediate future, while 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 jobs, the economy, cultural events, rents, punctuality, lifestyle, the physiognomy of the country, environmental pollution and the safety of residents. The assessment is carried out based on a scale where (1) represents absolutely negative effects, (4) does not affect much and (7) represents absolutely positive effects. Participants consider that tourism has a positive impact on the economy (average 5.61), jobs (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 physiognomy/identity of the country (average 4.07), lifestyle (average 3.86) and the safety of residents (average 3.84) are recorded as areas that are not particularly affected by tourism.
The views of residents living in tourist areas on the impact of tourism on their place are also presented. The positive impact is particularly strong on jobs and the economy, with averages of 5.17 and 5.11 respectively, followed by cultural events with an average of 4.52. The least positive impacts concern environmental pollution, punctuality and rents, with averages of 3.07, 2.84 and 2.45 respectively. The safety of residents, with an average of 3.90, is not particularly affected, as is the physiognomy/identity of the country, which is assessed with an average of 3.86, as well as the lifestyle with an average of 3.78. The survey also records views on the mobilizations and reactions against overtourism that are taking place in various cities in Europe. 59.4% of participants agree or tend to agree with these protests, 24.2% disagree or tend to disagree, while 13.6% have no opinion. Regarding the protests calling for fewer sunbeds and more free beaches, 88.8% agree or tend to agree, while only 8.1% disagree or tend to disagree.
