Is earthquake activity deterring tourists from Santorini?
Tourist traffic has reportedly declined on the popular Cycladic island in the wake of thousands of tremors throughout January and February.
In February, the whitewashed villages of Santorini were rattled by high seismic activity, and incessant tremors emptied towns of residents and tourists.
A state of emergency was declared by Greek authorities for at least a month as the Greek prime minister urged residents to stay calm.
Yannis Paraschis, president of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) said that available airline seats are down 26 per cent from the beginning of the year, reported Euronews.
Although numbers have improved in the build-up to peak summer travel, visitor footfall remains down on previous years.
Mr Paraschis added: 'The indications we have in terms of supply of seats are down in the range of 7 to 8 per cent for the summer, so we expect a result with losses of 10 to 15 per cent.'
It is the first year Santorini has reported a drop in tourist numbers since the pandemic in 2020.
Santorini welcomed an estimated 3.4 million visitors in 2024.
Antonis Pagoni, president of the Santorini hoteliers, told Euronews that overall arrivals on the island have fallen between 20 and 30 per cent.
'It's a huge reduction in a destination like Santorini that attracts more than 3 million visitors," said Mr Pagoni.
'You know, it's 10 per cent of Greek tourism. We are not sure if Greece can afford to lose that revenue."
The UK Foreign Office (FCDO) advise tourists travelling to Greece: 'The area around the Cycladic islands of Santorini (Thira), Anafi, Ios and Amorgos, experienced increased earthquake activity in early 2025. This increase has since subsided and the tourist season is expected to continue as usual.'
It warns holidaymakers to familiarise themselves with earthquake safety procedures and follow the advice from local authorities.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
First tourists visit North Korea's ghostly ‘Benidorm' resort where ‘minders' follow visitors & phones are ‘bugged'
NORTH Korea has welcomed its first tourists to its ghostly new " Benidorm" beach resort. But the initial batch of visitors have reported that they are followed everywhere and their phones are likely bugged. 10 10 The newly built resort, called Wonsan‑Kalma, has opened for Russian tourists on package tours. It features a a giant artificial white sand beach - once a missile test site - on the Sea of Japan, and was opened by dictator Kim Jong Un himself. But Russian guests say the experience is very different inside a state even more repressive than their own. "You are accompanied everywhere… even on the beach someone walked with us," according to blogger Daria Zubkova. Yet this was as "sweet concern" for guests rather than more ominous snooping, she added. "They are walking [with you]. "[If] you want, they chat with you, [if not] they just walk behind you." Daria added that the minders "argue that they worry about us getting lost or something else". But the veterinary therapist added: "What many people are afraid of….is some kind of wiretapping everywhere and so on. "Most likely, I think that there is probably all of this, but we just weren't afraid, because we have nothing to say that would make someone scold us for it." North Korea's 'Benidorm' to FINALLY open next week as tyrant Kim Jong-Un cuts ribbon - and Brits have signed up to visit The resort can accommodate up to 20,000 people, according to reports, and has jet-skis. Russian tourists holidaying there must make their own way to the eastern city of Vladivostok. From there they are flown into North Korea - to the capital city of Pyongyang. But once in the country, the group of 13 inaugural guests had their short flight from Pyongyang to Wonsan was suddenly cancelled - and a train arranged instead. "An entire train for just 13 people is simply unthinkable," said Daria. "It was new, very comfortable, with air conditioning." 10 10 10 10 She added: "I saw villages [from the windows of the train]….people are working in the fields, not very rich people." Another tourist Lyudmila said: "I was even interested in riding the train, because for the first time I saw that the mountains they paint in their pictures really exist. "It is also very interesting to see the country from the train." But once they got to Wonsan, their hotel was full with visiting officials and journalists accompanying Putin's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov. The tourists were then moved to inferior accommodation. Tourists were also told that sending emails cost £1.65 each. The tour company made clear that the secret police would have the opportunity to monitor their messages. "Please note that the email will be sent from the hotel's email box, not yours. "Therefore, to make it easier to find a reply addressed to you, we recommend that you include your room number in the subject line." Tourists were also told in advance: "We recommend taking tea, coffee, sugar with you!!! Fruits are not served." But Daria added: "There were a lot of types of meat, duck, rabbit, different types of fish. They really tried to please us." The basic cost of this tour for Russians is £1,360 - once they have made their way to Vladivostok. All but £325 of this has to be paid in cash. "We like everything," said tourist Pavla Gambal. "The sea is warm, the beach is clean, they keep order. "The territory is well-kept. The food is very tasty, you can eat it." It comes at a time when when North Korea has sent soldiers to die for "ally" Vladimir Putin, along with ship loads of military equipment and ammunition. 10 10
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
The picture perfect village dubbed 'Venice of the Cotswolds' under siege by day-trippers who gridlock the streets and make locals' lives 'hell'
It's known as 'Venice of the Cotswolds' due to the winding river flowing through its picturesque village centre. But Bourton-on-the-Water has more in common with the Italian city than just its name as it is also heaving with tourists - much to the dismay of permanent residents. Its small population of around 3,500 people is unmatched by the hundreds of thousands of tourists who flock to its riverside every year. The influx of visitors is partly driven by so-called influencers promoting the village as a perfect day trip destination away from big cities such as London on social media. Footage posted on TikTok shows the grass verges on either side of River Windrush completely flooded with tourists snapping photos or sitting down to enjoy a picnic. Holidaymakers are also seen pushing their prams along the water, while others have to wait in line for a spot to sit down and enjoy the view. An annual duck race on July 20 completely packed out the area as people gathered to watch the yellow plastic animals get carried along with the current. The event, which attracts locals and tourists, also featured a Tombola and 'Play Your Cards Right' and was advertised on the North Cotswolds Rotary. Children and adults were filmed splashing about in the shallow stream in footage posted on TikTok to show off the 'beautiful English village'. But in reaction to the video, one person replied: 'Yes a beautiful English village ruined by marauding tourists.' Under a different clip showing similar scenes of the village, someone penned: 'Overrun and ruined by tourists. What used to be a quiet, tranquil little village is now ruined by social media.' A third added: 'I feel so sorry for the residents.' July and August are understood to be the busiest months in the village, with weekends and bank holidays particularly crowded. In January, Bourton-on-the-Water was voted the 17th top staycation destination in the country, just behind Torquay, Harrogate and Newquay. A poll, of 2,000 adults revealed where people most want to go for a 48-hour getaway in 2025, with York, Edinburgh, Bath, Oxford, Isle of Skye, and Brighton proving popular. Other destinations ranked highly were Windermere, Whitby, and Bournemouth. Bourton-on-the-Water is not the only Cotswolds area being blighted by tourists - as people living in Bibury, Gloucestershire, say it has become increasingly inundated with visitors. Bibury is one of the many quaint British villages under siege from tourists all year, particularly over Bank Holidays and the summer holidays, where coach loads of visitors arrive and frustrate residents. After Bibury villagers called for action and formed a working group that included councillors and the police, Gloucestershire County Council in March announced plans to tackle the problem. Coaches could, in the long term, be banned from stopping and parking in the village although less drastic measures would be adopted initially, the council said. Long-term recommendations include looking into prohibiting coaches from stopping and parking in Bibury completely and improving signs to direct them away from its narrow lanes. The group wants to see if there might be areas outside of the village where coaches could park. It also wants to encourage tourists to use other ways of visiting Bibury, such as walking, cycling, using public transport or minibuses. Councillor Stephen Davies, leader of Gloucestershire County Council, said previously: 'We are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of Bibury residents and visitors. 'The proposed measures will help manage traffic more effectively and enhance the overall experience for everyone. 'We appreciate the community's support and cooperation as we implement these changes. 'We also understand that these proposals may not be popular with coach operators, however we are determined to work to find a solution for coach tourists to be able to visit Bibury but this will take time. 'Therefore, we have attempted to find compromise solutions that offer outcomes which continue to welcome visitors in a managed way, whilst also addressing safety and congestion concerns of the village.'
The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
When did people start going on holiday?
When did people start going on holiday? Valentina Otero, Mexico City Sign up to The Traveller Get travel inspiration, featured trips and local tips for your next break, as well as the latest deals from Guardian Holidays after newsletter promotion Post your answers (and new questions) below or send them to nq@ A selection will be published next Sunday.
