Tourists encouraged to return pebbles from popular Lalaria Beach

A drop-off box for Lalaria Beach pebbles is now located at Skiathos airport, encouraging tourists to return the pebbles before they leave the popular island.

Residents on the Sporadic island are appealing to tourists to take only photos of one of their most beautiful beaches, which appeared in the hit musical ‘Mamma Mia!,’ and not to remove any of the pebbles, which they are taking as souvenirs.

Officials on the island of Skiathos say they have now taken action to prevent the beach from being stripped bare, as so many people seem to think it’s ok to take the pebbles.

Tourists who find themselves taking pebbles can now be fined up to 1,000 euros under a new law.

‘We had no other choice,” said  Thodoris Tzoumas, head of the island’s cultural association.

Posters have been pinned on cruise boats, and a billboard is now displayed on the beach, asking tourists to "Take a picture, not a pebble."

The cultural association says the beach’s larger pebbles have almost entirely disappeared. However, return boxes at the airport appeared to be working.

"They have only been there a few days, and they are beginning to fill up,” Tzoumas told media.