Santorini, the iconic Aegean island, is currently navigating a significant shift in its tourism strategy.
While a decline of over 30 percent in arrivals has been noted this year, largerly due to the earthquakes that hit the island in the first two months of 2025, this change reflects a move towards a more sustainable and regulated tourism model, aiming to enhance the visitor experience and protect the island’s unique charm.
Nikos Zorzos, the Mayor of Santorini, highlights the island’s proactive approach. “The image of Santorini this year is different compared to other years, as the flows of visitors have been regulated,” he explains.
A key initiative is the implementation of a system that limits daily cruise ship visitors to 8,000. This measure has created “a different image,” ensuring a more balanced distribution of cruise ship arrivals throughout the week. This allows Santorini to maintain its visitor capacity while significantly reducing congestion.
The Mayor observes a positive economic outcome from these changes. “During the period of great overcrowding, the money that visitors left on cruises was less than what they leave today, as the situation that existed before was not conducive to visitors having the comfort to consume.” This suggests that a more comfortable environment encourages visitors to spend more freely.
Mayor Zorzos’s vision for sustainable tourism dates back to 2012, when he first advocated for halting unregulated development. He criticized the historical trend where “the private sector took the initiative without any planning from the state side and the public sector was left to follow.” He also emphasized the need for a “saturation law” for Santorini, arguing the island “does not need any more accommodation.” This sentiment gained traction, with local bodies by 2024 agreeing that no new beds were desired.
Currently, the municipality is actively working to prevent the development of new tourist areas. Instead, the focus is on improving existing hotel units. “Money can be given, not for the construction of new hotel units, but for their improvement,” the Mayor states, aiming to continuously enhance service quality. He proudly notes that Santorini already boasts “excellent accommodations.”
Beyond private sector improvements, the Mayor stresses the urgent need for enhanced public infrastructure. Key projects include a new port, first announced in 2020, and a significant investment to “reduce the landslide risk on the Caldera Slopes.”
Santorini’s unique allure is inextricably linked to its volcanic origins. “Santorini is, of course, a volcano and every visitor who comes to Santorini should know this,” Mayor Zorzos explains. He describes the island’s creation as “a small big bang” from the 1613 BC eruption, which gives it “uniqueness, and it is always attractive and captivating.”
The Mayor prefers the term “saturation” over “overtourism,” arguing that while some areas experienced discomfort, Santorini has not reached the severe levels seen elsewhere. His stance is clear: “no more private investments are needed in the tourism sector. There are much more than we need… We need to improve our infrastructure and the private and public infrastructure.”
Despite recent seismic activity, the Mayor assures visitors that their experience remains largely unchanged from previous years. “Today Santorini operates as it operated last year… There are no extra measures,” he confirms, indicating that any adjustments are primarily due to the new cruise ship regulations, aiming for better distribution of people in popular areas like the old port.
He emphasizes that visitors can still “do the same things they did last year.” Furthermore, the Municipality has robust civil protection efforts in place, with plans and shelters for any emergency.
The recent decline in tourism is seen as “multifactorial,” with earthquakes playing a part. Mayor Zorzos reiterates his conviction that Santorini doesn’t need more private infrastructure.
He asserts, “Santorini does not need any more beds. I say this with great certainty, with as much certainty as I know that my name is Nikos.” He calls for state assistance to improve public infrastructure, noting that Santorini has contributed significantly to national coffers without receiving adequate returns.
Optimistic about Santorini’s enduring appeal, the Mayor quotes Euripides, adapting it to say, “Santorini is a Helen, with a difference that she has a body… These wounds must be healed so that Santorini always remains Helen. Always beautiful.”
He disputes the notion that Santorini is expensive, stating that services are high quality and “prices have fallen compared to last year.” Interestingly, he anticipates a rise in Greek visitors this year, a rare occurrence for the island.
Giorgos Solomikos, President of the Municipal Port Fund of Thira, details the new system for managing cruise ship arrivals. The primary goal was to “regulate the flows of the cruise ships,” addressing past imbalances where some days saw 17-18 thousand visitors and others only 1-2 thousand.
New criteria for accepting cruise ships include passenger numbers, ship quality, reliability, and financial standing, with a scoring system determining arrival order. For 2025, a daily limit of 8,000 cruise passengers is set at 80 percent occupancy, with a 100 percent occupancy target for 2026, subject to review.
The “Berth Allocation” system, implemented this year, has yielded positive results. “There is a smooth and orderly operation in both ports,” Solomikos observes, with passenger disembarkation and embarkation occurring “without congestion, without great delay, without that dissatisfaction that passengers used to have.”
This new system benefits all stakeholders. “Our passengers are currently leaving satisfied,” he states, with positive feedback from cruise lines and local bodies due to the absence of past congestion. The even distribution of passengers helps all tourism-related businesses.
Crucially, it has also increased the time cruise passengers spend on the island, allowing them to “enjoy with peace and quiet and not rush.” Solomikos affirms, “Whoever comes to Santorini this year will see the normal Santorini,” and vows to “secure it with tooth and nail.”
Nikos Nomikos, president of the Thira Municipality’s merchants and professionals and financial supervisor at the Greek Tourist Board, offers insights into the evolving market.
Historically, Santorini welcomed around 3.5 million visitors annually, with 2.2 million arriving by air/ferry and 1.3 million by cruise. For 2025, he projects a 30-40 percent decrease in overall visitors due to unusual wind patterns, with air/ferry arrivals potentially dropping to 1-1.2 million while cruise numbers remain stable.
This projected decrease, combined with Santorini’s commitment to high-quality services, creates a unique opportunity for travelers. Nomikos affirms that visitors in 2025 will benefit from “very high services in top hotel accommodations to have a vacation with very low prices compared to previous years.”
This competitive pricing extends to local businesses like restaurants and souvenir shops. Nomikos concludes that 2025 presents “a great opportunity for someone who wants to visit Santorini and Greece.”
Related: An Ode to Santorini’s Silent Workers: The Donkeys and Mules that Built Greece’s Paradise
