US, Oct. 15 -- Instead of a hotel on the busiest strip, they rent a private estate with its own pool and grounds. The goal is a holiday where contact with other visitors is kept to a minimum.

The Pressure Behind the Trend Crowded Islands Santorini has about 20,000 permanent residents. In 2023, it received around 800 cruise ships carrying nearly 1.3 million passengers, according to Greek newspaper To Vima.

Government Action In September 2024, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a per-passenger cruise fee for Santorini and Mykonos. He pointed to "the image on some of our islands some months of the year due to cruise ships," as reported by Skift.

The same package included a ban on new short-term rentals in three central Athens d...