Greek hotspot will cap number of tourists who can visit next summer
Brits planning Greece holidays next year may want to take note of a new cap on visitor numbers coming into force in Athens.
The Greek capital attracts millions of visitors every year, and its Ancient Acropolis remains a firm highlight on the itinerary. However, the historic site has struggled to cope with the huge crowds of tourists descending on it every day, so authorities have decided to cap visitor numbers at 20,000 a day.
Although the new rules are due to come into force permanently next April, a trial run is currently taking place this month at the UNESCO World Heritage site.
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Under the new restrictions anyone who wants to visit will need to pre-book a time slot online, and visitors are being warned they should aim to arrive up to half an hour before their chosen time. There will be some wiggle room if you're late, but only up to 15 minutes so it's still a fairly tight window.
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It's not the first time a holiday hotspot has introduced a cap on tourist numbers. Earlier this year, a gorgeous region of Italy not only introduced a similar cap but has gone even further and also banned any new hotels and Airbnbs opening up, reports claim.
Holiday hotspot Trentino-Alto Adige, an autonomous region of Italy, has decided it's simply too full and is looking to combat over-tourism in the area with new restrictions.
Meanwhile Venice looked at a city tax to manage the impact of mass tourism, as well as restrictions in place for cruise passengers who flock to the city as part of a number of sailings.
It's been a difficult summer for Greece as some areas and islands have been hit by severe weather. Earlier this year the island of Rhodes suffered devastating wildfires, while just this month the island of Skiathos has had severe rainstorms and flooding.
As a result, Jet2 announced it was cancelling all holidays and flights to Skiathos until at least next week. A spokesperson for the firm said that the airline would be "continuing to closely monitor the weather conditions".
The island has been battered by dangerous floods with tourists stranded and several people dead. Earlier this week, police ordered all residents and tourists to stay off the streets and the island’s mayor put in a request to declare a state of emergency. Homes and businesses owned by locals have been damaged by the floods and powercuts are also hitting the usually sunny island.
Following the floods, the Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for Greece, explaining: "Adverse weather conditions, including floods, are affecting some regions. The situation can change quickly. Follow 112 Greece on Twitter for official updates."
As for the wildfires and extreme heat, the Foreign Office warns: "Very high temperatures are affecting many areas of Greece. There are active wildfires across Greece, including in populated areas on the mainland and a number of islands. Wildfires are highly dangerous and unpredictable. The situation can change quickly."
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