EU's strongest mass tourism occurs on Greek island destinations.
In Europe, mass tourism in places like the southern Aegean region of Greece - home to islands such as Santorini and Mykonos - is at an all-time high. In 2022, statistics revealed an average of 110 overnights stays per person in these regions. For context, the Ionian Islands, including Corfu, saw 81 overnights stays per person, while the Croatian Adriatic Coast saw 66. In comparison, the highest tourism intensity region in Germany, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, recorded just 18 overnights stays per person.
It's not just Greece experiencing the ramifications of this phenomena. Many other holiday regions in Europe are grappling with the effects as well. Last year on the Balearic Islands in Spain, locals staged protests due to rising housing prices.
When it comes to sheer visitor numbers, the Canary Islands take the crown as the most popular tourist destination in the European Union (EU). Over 89.3 million overnights stays were counted there in 2022, equating to an average of 245,000 people each day. Following closely were the Croatian Adriatic Coast with approximately 85.6 million overnights stays and the region Ile-de-France around Paris with approximately 80.4 million overnights stays. Germany's Upper Bavaria region emerged as the most popular holiday destination, with a total of 37.8 million overnights stays recorded in 2022.
The tourism industry is essential to the economy of several countries. According to Eurostat, the hospitality sector held the largest portion of GDP for Greece at 7.1%. Croatia, Portugal, and Spain followed suit, while Germany's share stood at only 1.4%, and the EU average remained at 2.5%.
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The Southern Aegean Sea, known for its popular Greek island destinations like Santorini and Mykonos, experiences the EU's highest level of mass tourism, surpassing even the Canary Islands. Local communities in other tourist hotspots, such as the Balearic Islands in Spain, have expressed concerns due to escalating housing prices.
Source: www.ntv.de
