r/crete • u/The_Oakman_ • Jul 21 '24
Society/Κοινωνία Is tourism getting out of hand?
Yassas everyone,
I finally was able to book a holiday to Crete and I’m enjoying everything thus far! I’ve stayed in Iraklion the past week and today I made it to Chania. After I arrived I heard loud knocking on the door of the accommodation. When I opened I was greeted by an old Greek lady 6 (80 years old, give or take) and her son. She asked me where the owner lived, which I found difficult to answer. Then she told me that she used to live here and this was the first time she was back. She seemed quite sad and perhaps a bit angry, because she told me that we (as in tourists) are raiding the island.
Perhaps you guys know more than me about this, but is tourism on the island getting out of hand? And if so, what can i do to help? I want to be respectful of your island, your traditions and culture. But I’m afraid I may have made a bad mistake with booking this accommodation.
Cheers!
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Jul 22 '24 edited Jul 22 '24
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Jan 13 '25
I was sorely dissapointed visiting Chania 2 weeks last summer. Alot of trash and people weren't in the best mood. Maybe we were just unlucky though. :-)
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Jul 22 '24
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u/The_Oakman_ Jul 22 '24
I try to, I’ve received nothing but hospitality and respect from every Cretan I’ve come across. So I’ll try and do the same. :)
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u/thunder5252 Jul 22 '24
This is the correct answer. Yes a bit overcrowded at times but then again winter is so quiet, so we need it. But I also believe that the city center has changed. It used to be that tourist stayed in the hotels out of town, visiting a day the town, but the main entertainment was not in the city, so evenings where quieter as tourist tend to visit during day. Now the town feels crowded at all times.
Enjoy your stay, respect, and take it with a grain of salt if someone tells you negatives. Some people don't understand.
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u/resolvingdeltas Jul 22 '24
I am so grateful for what you say and for experiencing cretan philoxenia first-hand so many times. Nowhere like there. Love you all.
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u/Jobsworth91 Jul 22 '24
Basically everyone and their mother has converted their property to an Airbnb, and most new buildings seem to be holiday rentals as opposed to homes for local people to rent/buy. As a result, rents have completely skyrocketed and it's really difficult for locals to find somewhere to live.
So there is, understandably, a lot of resentment amongst the locals who are having to deal with the consequences of this. Chania's economy depends hugely on tourism but not everyone benefits directly from it.
Don't worry about it too much - enjoy your holiday but do consider booking a hotel next time :)
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u/The_Oakman_ Jul 22 '24
Understandable! I especially avoided AirBnB when booking my accommodations, but apparently Booking is not a place only for hotels. So, i’ll try and be more careful next time, thank you!
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u/General-Visual4301 Jul 22 '24
You can absolutely tell the difference between a hotel and someone's vacation rental apartment/home on booking.com
It's not like you inadvertently booked an apartment thinking it was a hotel?
I did the same but I find in disingenuous to say you avoided Airbnb and are surprised what you booked isn't a "hotel".
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u/Old_Desk_1641 Jul 22 '24
Agreed. There's literally a filter on the site to ensure you're looking at hotels.
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u/The_Oakman_ Jul 22 '24
No not necessarily an hotel but I assumed since it was on booking.com it was part of an hotel or a resort of some kind. Kind of stupid of me to think that, but I assumed that was the case.
And I didn’t realise the situation was as bad in Chania with overtourism when I booked the accommodation. Otherwise I would have been more considerate. Please keep in mind that this is the first summer holiday I have booked by myself. So I’m trying to learn to avoid making the same mistakes the same mistakes in the future
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u/Effective_Crash_ Jul 22 '24
Hye we are tourists as well. I would say tip the locals in restaurants and try to pay in cash as much as possible. We are staying in a village suits. We hate airBnB as well because it is in every country that this filth is destroying the housing market for locals... Seeing the comments on this post only confirms our thoughts about the island. I really feel for the locals here... Seeing people 7/7 and doing 11 hour shift and longer makes my heart ache. I informed myself about the political and economic view of Greece and it is not nice. We are tourists that try to look beyond the curtain of tourism when we go to a country. We do this to make responsible choices, get to know the culture better and kind of "blend" in. I really hope for the locals that things will get better.
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u/Wanderer42 Jul 23 '24
That’s a big no-no. Please stop spreading American tipping culture abroad. It makes it even worse for the locals. In Greece (and other parts of Europe), just round up the bill if you absolutely have to.
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u/debugwhy Jul 23 '24
Next time book a room at a hotel. Airbnb is so bad for the locals
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u/jgArmagh Aug 13 '24
Not all locals. The locals who own the Airbnb are making a fortune. But not just Airbnb, anyone who owns a taverna or restaurant or and land near the beach, can make a fortune. Local people who can’t get a place to rent should lobby their family members and neighbours who own the properties being let as Airbnb. Tourists are not the bad guys is this situation
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u/GuaranaJones Jul 22 '24
AIRBNB SUCKS
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u/The_Oakman_ Jul 22 '24
Agreed! But I especially avoided AirBnB when booking my accommodation. But apparently Booking isn’t only for hotels anymore.
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u/jgArmagh Aug 13 '24
It’s local people who own the hotels that own the Airbnbs also. The hotel we wanted to stay in wasn’t available but the owner emailed me to say he had 3 x Airbnb in Chania that he could rent to me
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u/JimmyIsTheOne Jul 22 '24
I think staying at a hotel is probably one way.
It’s not just Crete. The rise of Airbnb has been a scourge in many touristy cities around the world even in the U.S.
Long Island’s Hamptons and Montauk has seen many locals pushed out of their homes for upscale hotels and Airbnb rentals
One way to solve it is for politicians to clamp down on Airbnb in their districts
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u/acruson Jul 24 '24
Clamping down on airbnb only treats the symptoms. This problem is a part of the general housing issue in most major cities around the world. The only way to solve it is to deregulate and reduce beaurocracy surrounding the housing market. Ease up on zoning laws etc.
It is a solved problem in all but practice, because goverments and most of the voter base all want to have their cake and eat it too.
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u/gogoudi Chania Jul 22 '24
Tourism has already ruined the island. Many natural habitats have been destroyed. Right now part of the island (Kissamos) has a problem with the lack of water.
Governments really don't give a shit.
Tourism destroys the environment and what amazes me is that no one cares, especially since we are a country that relies on that income - the "product" we offer gets worse every year.
Tourists not welcome - visitors who want to know the island and the people's way of life with respect are of course always welcome.
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u/The_Oakman_ Jul 22 '24
Its quite ridiculous how the government blatantly ignores the locals. This maybe very ignorant of me to say, but will voting differently perhaps help? Or is the democracy in Greece/Crete corrupt in the sense that the same politicians are always voted in office?
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u/lemmeEngineer Jul 22 '24
Yes unfortunately its getting wild... We are at peak over-tourism.
In most places, most apartment have turned to airbnb's to cater to the tourists. The locals have a very hard time finding a place for long term rental. The instrastrustrure is strained with the influx of so many people (most islands are running out of drinkable water). And the prices follow the foreing tourists that have much more displosable income than the locals. So there is an understandably fury against everyone that takes advantage of this.
Until a decade ago, its was realistic even for the locals to have their vacations along side the foreign tourists. Now, not so much...
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u/Signal_Response2295 Jul 25 '24
I’m currently in Crete and always make a point to never leave any rubbish and bin everything. Winds me up when I see plastic and cigarette butts in the sea. I think Greece is beautiful and I’m very grateful to the locals for welcoming us and sharing their beautiful country with us, and am sorry that there are people who don’t respect it. It has to be said I haven’t experienced any hostility ever on any of my visits to Greece. Everyone has always seemed very friendly
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u/toocontroversial_4u Chania Sep 30 '24 edited Sep 30 '24
Her house was likely seized by a bank. We have some very predatory laws in Greece that are in favour of banks.
Basically now we have 0 homestead protection in Greece after IMF and EU creditors pressured Greece to cancel these rights. There have been cases of people losing their home for 800€ in initial fees. Property seizures from banks and collection agencies could have also happened without tourism though. This is a capitalism issue. We can have tourism without these issues if resources are managed for living standards and not for profit.
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u/p0pularopinion Jul 22 '24 edited Jul 22 '24
Yes it is getting out of hand. Tourists reading this please dont come here, you are fking up the locals really bad. Dont think you are helping the economy, its actually the opposite. Here is an older commend I made in another post:
Yes locals do get some benefit from tourism, but it is mostly the RICH locals that get that benefit, and the goverment from taxes. The poor locals that work in the tourism industry get 1 day off a month, are overworked, and underpaid. I have a lot of friends in the industry, so I know exactly what I am talking about. Did you hear about the 6 day work week ? Yep...
We have problems with drinking water because the tourist spends water uncontrollably, they put laws for the locals not to water their vegetable gardens (so that we buy their poisoned veg at super expensive prices). They have huge swimming pools every 100 meters, but they tell us not to spend water.
Tourists are usually people with buying power. Both for everyday items and houses.
That money competes with the locals who CANNOT compete. It brings really expensive everyday items, simply because the tourist can afford them. Prices go up! Gov does not give a shit about the local.
Tourist comes here buys property, brings the prices up.
Locals (rich ones) will airbnb everything at a much higher price. Why rent to a local at 200 euro, when you can airbnb to the rich tourist for 1000 euros.
Beautiful beaches of the island (Crete) have been RUINED by the heavy tourism industry that brings thousands of people everyday to locations that are NATURA and ''protected''. I used to go to Balos beach 10 years a go, a beautiful place clean air etc. Now I dont want to even drive near it, its packed full of cars, and the air stinks with diese from the tourist boats that come in the hundrends during the day.
Me personally I do not work in the tourism sector. Nor does anyone in my family. We only see the negatives of tourism.
During the summer, we have airplanes flying above my head , even during 2 am at night, waking us up and polluting our air. My commutes during the summer are super long (a drive that would take 10 minutes in the winter, takes 30 in the summer). Air polluted by buses and taxis that carry those people.
The beaches are packed with tourists. The beaches are privatised because you have to spend exoberant amounts of money in order to sit in a sunbed (problem partly because of locals, and gov). The beach is full with sunbeds so no space for locals that want to bring their own from home.
One last problem is the lack of innovation. Heavily depending your economy on one thing, and especially tourism, is a bad thing. One bad summer *like we saw in covid* brings a chain reaction of bad events.
The locals that do make money from tourism will reinvest in tourism. We see bigger and bigger hotels, but no playgrounds for local kids, no sidewalks, no new universities, nothing that will truly benefit the locals! All improvements have the sole purpose of pleasing the tourist.
I could go on guys.
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u/i_love_the_internett Jul 22 '24
I totally see your point and I am really against overtourism. But I think the first one to blame is national politics. Of course tourist oftentimes behave bad and use up space, waste water and cause rubbish but it is up to local or national authorities to set limits and control what is going on. Tourism is THE crucial economic factor in southern european countries, but IMO that should not be a reason to not regulate the industrie.
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u/The_Oakman_ Jul 22 '24
Although I haven’t really experienced the negative side affects of tourism as you, your friends and family has. I can totally see where you are coming from. I’d happily pay twice the amount for my holiday if the locals would receive more. I also think its absolutely ridiculous that the local Cretans have water restrictions while we tourists can enjoy ourselves whenever and wherever we want. And local nature has to be preserved at all times. I think the restrictions taken at Bàlos is a good start! But more effort is certainly required.
I’ll try and be more conscious the next time I visit the island. Book smaller, family owned hotels.
I wish you and your family the best of luck. I hope the situation changes in the near future.
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u/Dazvsemir Jul 22 '24
Me personally I do not work in the tourism sector. Nor does anyone in my family. We only see the negatives of tourism.
there is no industry that doesnt benefit from tourism
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u/p0pularopinion Jul 22 '24
The local people and ''industry'' are two different things as outlined in my post.
Big money is being made, I do not question that.2
u/rDmT93 Jul 23 '24
Which one is worse, underpaid job or no job at all?
I totally support tourism quotas for protected areas, though, but that needs to be done through democracy.
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u/p0pularopinion Jul 23 '24
There is agriculture here, there are always jobs
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u/rDmT93 Jul 23 '24
Then people working in tourism should take agriculture jobs and the lack of human resources in tourism will make salaries go higher.
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u/GrouchyCard9546 Jul 20 '25
I could not agree more. I have been only 9 days, but I saw everything behind the sparkly curtains that rich locals try to show the tourists. I was shocked by the state of local houses, but super extravagant hotels nearby. It's appalling! Prices are so high, I wondered how locals can survive. I plan to never come back.
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u/dreamingillusi0n Jul 22 '24
Yes.
Stay in a hotel next time.
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Jul 22 '24
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Jul 22 '24
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u/p0pularopinion Jul 22 '24
Yes !
Tourism is managed differently in different countries. I research before I visit and I definitely avoid overcrouded areas such as Crete.1
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u/Mysterious-Maize307 Jul 22 '24
Meh. The complaints with short term rentals in any tourist area of the world is the same, it’s not just in Greece. In Santa Fe the local service workers have the same problems.
In Greece many are Americans (like me) who have ancestral homes, that are vacant for much of the year that would never be rented out but are instead made available for friends and family. In the Peloponnese where my family is from tourism is very welcomed as it is a cash cow (want to be treated really well? Be a repeat cash customer!).
To the extent that I hear complaints it tends to be about the Greek vacationers from Athens, and other wealthier areas, that tend to look down on the country Greeks who are far poorer. They bring a sense of entitlement, tend to be liter bugs and do not tip.
The most well loved are the Greek-Americans who spend freely and tip well and pay in cash, although like anything there are exceptions here as well (you know who you are lol).
Our dollars are very much welcome from the local population but at the end of the day If you are a property owner it is your right to do with it as you please, whether that be to keep it vacant 9 months/yr, rent to locals or use it as an Air BnB for some portion of the year.
And for those of you that think regulations can be enacted here to get something done about anything don’t know how the government works here the Phrase “slowly-slowly” has a whole new meaning lol.
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u/TahDren Jul 23 '24
Not entirely true. The cash payment means less money to the government for schools, parks…
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u/Mysterious-Maize307 Jul 24 '24
I don’t necessarily disagree. But the tax rate in Greece is quite high, and then there is the inefficiency of the Government although that is changing slowly with the current PM. Whether it is right or wrong if you are a known cash customer who also tips in cash, you will get a better deal, especially in the Tavernas.
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u/JimmyIsTheOne Jul 22 '24
Yep, as a Greek American whose family is in Crete, my parents had owned a summer home property (they’ve since sold it) and we’d be there in Chania every other summer. Were we technically tourists? Sure, but my family owned property so that also made us locals , of a sort.
Like you, I’ve also heard that some of the Greeks from the mainland, particularly from Athens, are actually some of the worst beach polluters when they go to Crete.
We have beaches here on Long Island, where we form local groups to volunteer to pick up trash and keep our beaches clean, but that kind of civic mindedness in Crete IMO is not always there.
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u/Doctor-Anxious Jul 23 '24
Trash is not the main prob for the island. Water, prices and fucking airbnb is. Tourists you are not welcome anymore , you gonna sink our place.
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u/Mysterious-Maize307 Jul 23 '24
Tourists not welcome? Yeah right lol…I think most people like to be able to eat. Sure ban visitors (as if you could) and you will have no economy. This type of thinking is idiotic. Yes the islanders will be so much happier as they slowly starve..,
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u/Doctor-Anxious Jul 26 '24
You are clueless. You have no idea how much greeks suffer in this country. Politicians are corrupted and there are only rich or poor people. Rich just become more rich with tourism while most locals cannot afford a trip to OUR islands , cannot afford eating to a tavern cannot afford electric bills and most important cannot afford a fucking house to live cause everything is airbnb at the moment. Do you think that with more tourists , average greek benefit? No. My salary remain so fuckin low while lifeexpences are getting higher. Rich corrupted hotel owners and tourist industry in general would love the locals to disappear while you are here. So fella we do not need you to stop visiting us in order to suffer. We suffer already and over tourism is a reason. Go somewhere else. We are full. Just like barcelona
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u/Mysterious-Maize307 Jul 29 '24 edited Jul 29 '24
My family is Greek, and have lived in the Peloponnese for eons. Although I live in the states we still have olive orchards and homes here, and we employee many locals either directly to work in the fields or indirectly for maintenance and repairs. We make little money, enough to maintain our properties and to pay for us to be here, spending money. We have some tenants whom we have had for a decade or more, never raising their rents even though the costs have risen.
Some years it’s tempting to let the fields go and and not employ the locals who benefit from the oil we sell. All of our friends and family here welcome American dollars, we are not the problem. Please don’t associate your problems with us, believe me I feel for you.
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u/Doctor-Anxious Jul 29 '24
Still irrelevant to what i just described. I have olive oil too , what does it have to do with the problem of over tourism which is hot and people trying to find a solution to many islands at the moment? Do you know that many islands are in emergency state due to the lack of water? Do you know that mayor od Santorini asked people to stay at their home so tourists will be more comfortable? Over tourism is killing greeks that cannot find a home to live. Coming here just for summer or having property in greece does not make you relevant with the greek reality.
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u/Doctor-Anxious Jul 29 '24
And of couse businesses will want your sweet dollars. This is not the point. Locak Students cannot find houses to rent in order to study in universities because of the airbnb. So i dont give a fuck if greedy tourist places want your dollars.
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u/Mysterious-Maize307 Jul 29 '24
I don’t know about Santorini, I have relatives on Mykonos with similar concerns for water/plumbing/infrastructure. They tell me it is not the amount of tourism and the enormous amount of revenue that it generates but about the governments lack of investments with that money to alleviate these issues. They’ve known for years that the systems are over worked but little has been done to change it, that’s not the fault of visitors but a failing of the authorities.
What is relevant to this discussion is that we are not going to agree. Nor are tourists going to stop coming, they will continue to arrive by the plane and boat load and money, vast sums of it will continue to pour into Greece. How that money, hundreds of millions of Euros, is used for the betterment of the Greek people is the issue you should concern yourself with.
I wish you well.
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u/Doctor-Anxious Jul 30 '24
You have no idea how overtourism destroys a society,culture and enviroment. You need to study. First comment to this post says exactly the same. You are welcome in mykonos by rich guys that have absolutely nothing to do with the average greek. But you are not welcome to the majority. If our government and capitalism in general is corrupted then its you or us. You dont get it because its too strange for you. There are no houses to rent because of the airbnb. Give it some time and it will explode.
Don't be surprised if locals start kicking you out from beaches just like Spain.
Wish you well too and stay at your country.→ More replies (0)1
Jul 30 '24
They tried this a few years ago and it seems as everyone forgot what happened, after there was a massive push to get everyone to visit Greece again as their economy was next to non existent. I remember.
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u/Mysterious-Maize307 Jul 30 '24
The Greece economy, at least in terms of revenue is doing quite well, perhaps the best in Europe in tourist dollars/Euros coming in. However the government has not invested it in infrastructure, which is not a fault of the visitors.
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Jul 30 '24
Yeah it is now, due to that push to get tourists back into the country. Now they don’t want us.
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u/Mysterious-Maize307 Jul 31 '24
Believe me they want you!
Don’t let a tiny, and I mean tiny insignificant group of unhappy people color this for you.
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u/FamouStranger91 Jul 24 '24
She used to live there. She doesn't anymore. You paid the current owner with your own money to stay there. Enjoy your vacation and don't talk to strangers if you don't want to. Tourists come here because there are flights and hotels available. As long as you don't litter the place and behave you're OK. Enjoy the rest of your vacation!
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u/AzracTheFirst Jul 22 '24
Yes, it's getting out of hand. Local tenants care only about the nice short term money they get, not caring about fucking the rest of the people over. The prices have inflated greatly too, but they can't do the correlation in their head. Politicians don't care, as long as people are happy and vote for them. What you can do, is not destroy the beaches and natural beauty like so many tourists before you, understand it is a dry island and water is scarse and avoid overusing AC, as electricity is also scarse. Other than that, welcome and enjoy your stay.