A new clash has erupted over Athens and its unchecked tourism growth, this time between Athens Mayor Haris Doukas and Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni. The confrontation was triggered by the mayor’s interview with the British newspaper The Guardian, in which he stressed, among other things, that Athens cannot operate like a giant hotel. Mr. Doukas spoke about the impact of overtourism and sounded an alarm over what he described as the alteration of the character of historic neighborhoods such as the Plaka district.
In her response, the Tourism Minister accused the mayor of sending “misleading messages” about Athens in interviews with foreign media, undermining the image of the capital. She also effectively urged him to focus on the daily life of residents and the cleanliness of the city.
Kefalogianni: Comparison with Barcelona is wrong
Specifically, Ms. Kefalogianni stated: “The Mayor of Athens must first and foremost take care of the daily life of the city’s residents, its cleanliness, functionality and their quality of life. Interviews in foreign media with misleading messages about Athens do not protect the city. On the contrary, they undermine its image and harm the capital’s tourism. Athens does not need manufactured images of crisis. It needs serious work, a responsible stance and policies that truly address the pressures created by increased tourism demand. The government has already taken a series of strict measures to protect the city and manage the impact of tourism. That is why any comparison of Athens with other international destinations, such as Barcelona, is simplistic and wrong.”
Doukas: Those who ignore the problem are burying their heads
Mr. Doukas did not leave the minister’s remarks unanswered, effectively calling on her not to “bury her head in the sand,” to study the municipality’s proposals and to engage with the city authorities on a comprehensive plan for sustainable tourism development, “instead of inventing non-existent enemies.”
In more detail, the mayor said: “Athens does not need beautification from late-coming defenders. Uncontrolled tourism growth threatens its iconic neighborhoods. Anyone who does not see this is simply burying their head in the sand. I call on the Minister to study our documented proposals and to support our request for the resilience fee to be allocated to the municipality, so that the necessary infrastructure can be built. Tourists cannot be paying fees to hotels while the government withholds them and does not return a single euro to the municipality. I also call on the Minister, instead of discovering non-existent enemies, to discuss with the Municipal Authority of Athens a comprehensive plan for the city’s sustainable tourism development.”
