How far should you go to welcome a maximum of visitors without distorting an idyllic setting?
This is one of the issues that is causing controversy in Greece this spring, and which concerns the Cyclades islands in particular.
These paradisiacal confetti attract tourists from all over the world and particularly the French, fond of the shiny sandy beaches under a turquoise sky, the streets painted with whitewash and adorned with bougainvillea, the Orthodox chapels... But behind the scenes, there is a taste bitter for a growing number of inhabitants of the archipelago.
Starting with Mykonos, one of the most popular destinations in the Aegean Sea, where the
jet set
takes up residence every summer, fueling commercial appetites.
Nothing like feeding organized gangs that operate beyond the law, and impose their own rules.
Read alsoGreece: archaeologists and promoters scrap on the island of Mykonos
Illegal constructions
On March 8, Manolis Psarros, an archaeologist who has been supervising building permits for ten years on the island, was violently beaten when he reached his car.
Hospitalized with serious bruises, he immediately pointed the finger at two property developers he blocked encroaching on historic sites on the island.
Added to this are threats and insults sent by SMS, for three years, to his colleagues.
The Union of Archaeologists of Greece immediately launched an investigation, denouncing
"the business of illegal constructions carried out for commercial interests"
, and calling for state protection.
“You have to understand that Mykonos is a protected island. There is, as in all the Cyclades, a unique natural beauty, which would not be so prized by the whole world if it were not at least preserved, ”
supports Despina Koutsoumba, president of the Union of Archaeologists of Greece.
“But the rules are less and less respected with regard to the laws regulating illegal construction initiated by the various governments.
And we, public officials, who apply the law, must face this mafia, ”
she laments.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Greek Prime Minister, says
'the situation is out of control'
and dispatched police, financial crime specialists, and environmental and building compliance inspectors to the scene.
Houses with swimming pools
In Paros, neighboring Mykonos, another phenomenon worries the authorities.
The favorite island of Parisians is experiencing an explosion of ever more luxurious real estate constructions and all equipped with a swimming pool, while water is lacking.
These sites are certainly not illegal.
But at this rate, the less than 13,000 permanent inhabitants fear that their small island will become impossible to live on.
Read alsoConfidential Cyclades: our alternatives to Santorini, Paros and Milos
It must be said that visitor demand for Greek destinations is growing disproportionately.
After the two years of pandemic, where everything was idling, tourism is breaking records.
Last year, the country welcomed 30 million visitors according to the Bank of Greece, three times the national population.
The sector now supports 1 worker in 5, and weighs nearly a quarter of Greek GDP, or more than 18 billion euros.
Something to put a smile on the face of tourism professionals, after ten years of financial crisis and when the country has relied heavily on construction and tourism to boost growth.
But is there a limit?
The mayor of Sifnos, an island in the Cyclades whose notoriety is skyrocketing, denounced "this unbridled growth" in the number of visitors, calling for measures such as the
ban on swimming pools.
Without success so far.
In addition to the problem of housing, there is also that of transport.
The ferries and planes are already full for the 2023 season. enough to raise other questions.
For several weeks, the inhabitants of the island of Amorgos, famous for the filming of the film "Le Grand Bleu" have been torn apart around the expansion of the port of Catapola.
Objective: to allow the arrival of larger ferries and cruise ships of intermediate size, which would also suppose to create a new route.
The mayor brandishes the need for modernity for “this port built in the 80s which requires certain boats to moor on the side”.
But residents refuse to become "the new Mykonos" and to be overwhelmed by hordes of tourists.
However, it is clear that the volume of visitors has tripled in a few years in Amorgos, making the need for infrastructure crying out.
Except to consider another solution: should the number of visitors be limited?
Interview
“The number of reservations is exploding in the Cyclades, except in August”
Matthieu Mariotti, production manager of Kuoni.
What is the status of reservations for the Cyclades?
“We are at a very high level since to date, the number of reservations is 30% higher than last year, which was already a record vintage.
To give you an idea, Santorini, which hits the mark, reaches the level of Crete, our Greek blockbuster.
However, I note a major change in behavior: we recorded a sharp drop in demand for the month of August, of the order of 20 to 30%, while the other months outperformed, up to + 50% in July.
I see it as a consequence of the sharp rise in the price of plane tickets, to Greece in particular.
This positions other destinations like Mauritius as an alternative.
We should see discounted hotel prices in Greece in August, which I had never seen.”
This form of overtourism in the Cyclades does not discourage the French?
“No, and the flagship destinations of Santorini, Mykonos, Paros or Zakynthos, served directly by Transavia this year, are always more successful!
These destinations, easily accessible by plane, also benefit from significant hotel capacities.
Less frequented places are also less easily accessible or have less accommodation available.
Which Cycladic destinations would you recommend for those wishing to avoid the big crowds?
Amorgos, Sifnos, Folegandros, or Andros (accessible in an hour from Athens) are great alternatives.
The island of Syros is relatively shunned or unknown.
It is true that it does not offer the typical white architecture of the Cyclades.
But it deserves to be discovered.
