BRITS have been issued a holiday warning as Greece plans to cap cruise ship numbers in a bid to combat over tourism on its islands.
The country's Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is considering limiting cruise ship numbers on popular islands like Santorini and Mykonos following concerns of tourism saturation.
New regulations on cruise ships could either restrict the number of berths on each island or introduce a bidding process for slots, according to Bloomberg.
Record numbers of tourists have been travelling to Greece since pandemic measures came to an end, with the tourism industry accounting for 25 per cent of the country's economy.
Despite the huge profits, prime minister Mitsotakis is concerned about the environmental impact cruise ships are having on its islands.
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Mr Mitsotakis told Bloomberg: "I think we will do it next year."
Cruise ship numbers on popular Greek Islands will be limited, if the regulations do come into force next year.
Mr Mitsotakis added: "Santorini is the most sensitive, Mykonos will be the second.
"There are people spending a lot of money to be on Santorini and they don’t want the island to be swamped. Plus the island can’t afford it, even in terms of security."
According to the report by Bloomberg, 800 cruise ships docked at Santorini and a further 749 docked at Mykonos.
Greece isn't the first country in the Mediterranean to limit cruise ship numbers.
Earlier this year, Mallorca's Committee on Tourism, Trade, Employment, Culture and Sport has reportedly approved an initiative to reintroduce a cap on cruise ships to Palma, the island's capital.
Greece to charge new tourist tax
Earlier this year, the country announced the introduction of a new levy for overnight visitors.
Dubbed the new climate resilience levy by local media outlets, the new charge is intended to combat the damage caused by extreme weather conditions, like the wildfires and floods that swept through the country last year.
Last summer, large parts of Greece were devastated by huge wildfires that swept through holiday hotspots in Rhodes and Corfu.
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Expected to generate €300 million in 2024, the new tax will form part of a special reserves budget, which will help rebuild parts of the country's infrastructure that have been damaged as a result of climate change.
Brit Holidaymakers traveling to Greece between March and October will be required to pay the additional charge.
Just like the previous tax, the rate will vary depending on the type of accommodation tourists have booked, and it will range from €1 (£0.86) to €4 (£3.45) per night.
The new tax will be added to the country's existing accommodation tax, with charges rising as a result.
Meanwhile, Greece could also be set to introduce a wave of new rules at its beaches in a bid to combat overcrowding.
The number of sunbeds will be capped at beaches across Greece in a bid to create more space for the public.
A tourist tax is also being imposed in the city of Portimão on Portugal's Algarve coast.
Portimão's Mayor Isilda Gomes said the tourist tax could raise "a few million euros" for the city.
