The Effect of Expensive Fuel: Greece Reports a Decline in Tourist Overnight Stays

Greece is facing changes in tourism patterns due to the ongoing rise in fuel prices. According to data from the hotel community, tourists are starting to change their plans – either declining long-distance trips or shortening the number of their overnight stays to balance their budgets against high transport costs.

Currently, the price of unleaded gasoline in the mainland part of the country is reaching 2 euros per liter, while on the Greek islands, it moves from 2.15 euros and up. The average price of diesel is around 1.85 euros. During the current month, fuel prices have jumped by nearly 20%, leading to inflationary pressure on the prices of essential goods.

Despite efforts by the Greek government to reach an agreement with refineries to stabilize prices during the tourist season, geopolitical tension in the Persian Gulf is prevailing over these measures. Experts warn that if global trends do not change, the price difference between diesel and gasoline could close.

What does this mean for travelers?
For the average person planning a vacation in the neighboring country, these changes mean higher logistics costs. This could lead to a shift toward closer destinations or shorter stays, which in the long term could affect the revenues of local businesses in regions that are not easily accessible by public transport.