Lesbos tourism surge surpasses 2015 highs, but challenges loom
The Greek island of Lesbos is experiencing a surge in tourism. Visitor numbers from across Europe have exceeded all local expectations. According to published data, in July alone, 18,495 people arrived on Lesbos via charter flights.
Aug 13, 2024 | updated: 7:22 AM EDT, August 14, 2024
"For the first time after a long period of stagnation, more tourists visited the island of Lesbos than in 2015, which was one of our best periods," reports the Greek portal ertnews.gr
As tour operator Lefteris Karamplias reports, 18,373 people visited the island in 2015. This year, from April to July, 43,777 tourists have already been recorded, while last year, during the same period, only 30,693 people arrived.
The Greek media reports that the island of Lesbos is visited mainly by Europeans. Here are the statistics: England - 4,369, Netherlands - 3,541, Denmark - 3,442, Poland - 1,773, and Belgium - 1,397.
- It should be emphasized, however, that the island is seeing a significant influx of visitors this year, including a surprisingly large number of Turkish tourists. In July, 27,960 people arrived from the opposite coast - a record number. We should pay special attention to whether we have the capabilities and infrastructure to offer the required services without causing dissatisfaction and complaints from our guests - noted Karamplias.
Is the island of Lesbos ready to accommodate such a large number of tourists? The tour operator points out that there have already been cases of overbooking in hotels (accepting more reservations than available rooms) and a lack of necessary service in restaurants and taverns on the island.
It is worth mentioning that one of the restaurants announced online that it would remain closed due to a lack of supplies. There have also been difficulties in transporting tourists by bus.
Therefore, special caution should be exercised so that this exceptionally high traffic does not bring about adverse effects. We will have to decide what kind of tourism we want, based on our capabilities - emphasizes Karamplias.
