Greece to Introduce Significantly Higher Tourist Taxes in 2025

Greece’s government aims to generate more revenue from tourism by making tourists pay tremendously more expensive taxes next year.

According to local media in Greece, tourist taxes will be implemented across different sectors – daily taxes at accommodation spots, city taxes and cruise-ship fees – making your stay in Greece significantly more expensive, Schengen.News reports. 

As of 2025, tourists to Greece will pay a daily tax of €2, up from the current €0.5. This tax will be raised to €8 during the high season, which includes months between April and October. Currently, the daily tax during the high season stands at €1.5. 

In addition to these taxes, staying at highly rated hotels can also cost a tax of €15, while other accommodation alternatives have lower tax rates. 

Tourists to Pay €20 in Cruise Ship Taxes 
Greek cruise tourism is expected to boom in 2025, exceeding the eight million visitor mark and soaring by 20 per cent in a year period.

The Greek government has decided to take advantage of these figures and raise the cruise taxes. However, the fee you have to pay highly depends on the destination. Visiting Santorini or Mykonos costs €20, while visits to other cities and islands, including Athena and Crete, cost €5 per day.

The cruise tax was first proposed in June following concerns about capacity on the island of Mykonos, which is home to just 12,000 residents. Mykonos has limited tourist facilities and was being overwhelmed by up to 20,000 daily cruise passengers from as many as eight ships. 

Santorini received 17,000 visitors in 2023’s busiest summer days, while the island’s population is 15,500. 

Revenues Generated From Tourist Taxes Expected to Be Allocated for Improved Tourism Infrastructure 
Greece often encounters natural disasters such as floods and forest fires. In order to reduce the potential damage caused by these events, the Greek government wants to collect large sums, as Reuters reports. 

The country is heavily dependent on tourism and is also working to improve its economy, as in 2018, Greece went into a debt crisis. Greece is estimated to be the third country with the most debt to the US. 

According to the latest data from the Bank of Greece (BoG, a total of 24.89 million foreign tourists visited Greece from January to August 2024, generating €15 billion in revenues. Tourists to Greece come from all over the world: France, Spain, the US, Italy, and Türkiye

Source: https://schengen.news/greece-to-introduce-significantly-higher-tourist-taxes-in-2025/