Santorini set to limit tourism in 2019

Some two million people flocked to the Greek island of Santorini last year.

Reports claim there were days when up to 18,000 visitors on cruise ships alone were seen disembarking at the island's port, which is a high number considering that only about 15,000 people actually live on the island.

Santorini is struggling to cope and the ecology of the island is at risk.

According to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal, some local island officials say they have seen enough.

“The island is saturated, we can’t handle any more tourists,” Mayor Zoros told Wall St.

Beginning 2019, the island will cap cruise arrivals at 8,000, hoping to curb a flow of day travellers the Mayor said, which is putting too much strain on infrastructure and supplies.

The move has caused a negative reaction from cruise operators and business owners who say this move would affect their economic situation and that the onus is on the island to do more to accommodate the crowds.

“The electricity grid and water supply are at their limit. Garbage has doubled in five years, if we don’t control the crowds it will backfire," Mr. Zoros said.

*Source: Wall Street Journal