TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – More than 1.3 million tourists visit popular destinations like Santorini and Mykonos each year. The Greek government will impose a new tax on cruise ship passengers, especially those visiting the country’s most popular islands.
The new tax, which will come into effect on July 1, 2025, is an effort to deal with overcrowding and as a sustainability measure. Although the cost to each individual might seem small, it can affect the overall cost of a cruise vacation.
New Tax Regulations
Passengers arriving at Santorini and Mykonos will be charged €20, or around Rp375,000, during the peak tourist season between June 1 and September 30, as quoted from Express UK. During the mid-season and off-peak season, the fee will decrease to €12 , or around Rp225,000, and €3, or around Rp56,000, respectively.
Meanwhile, in other ports in Greece, the fees vary depending on the season. For instance, during peak season between June 1 and September 30, passengers will be charged €5. During the off-peak season in April, May, and October, the fee will be €3 and will further drop to €1 between October 1 and May 31.
Purpose of the Cruise Ship Passenger Tax
Eleni Skarveli, director of the Greek National Tourism Organization for the UK and Ireland, said that the new levy aims to support the infrastructure in the most popular islands in Greece and ensure that cruise tourism provides greater benefits for the local communities.
“It’s part of a broader effort to better align the number of visitors with the capacity of destinations like Santorini and Mykonos, while maintaining a high-quality experience for travellers,” she said, as quoted from the Brimingham Mail.
She hopes that this levy will not form barriers for British cruise ship tourists. “But rather be seen as a small contribution to preserving the beauty and accessibility of these iconic islands,” she said.
The revenue obtained from this tax will be used to support local infrastructure, reduce the environmental impact of tourism, and contribute to efforts aimed at preserving the beauty and history of these islands.
It is currently unknown how the tax will be collected and whether it will be paid directly by the shipping companies or the passengers themselves. Most likely, these costs will be integrated into the overall cruise costs for passengers.
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