The seven Greek islands that have declared drought emergencies this summer | News World

The summer is in full swing as thousands of tourists embark on a journey to Greece, hoping to soak up the sun and enjoy the water.

But seven Greek islands in the Aegean Sea are beginning to declare drought conditions to preserve water, and one is relying on bottled water entirely.

Astypalaia, Tinos, Alonissos, Leros, Patmos, Symi and Karpathos are all facing dry conditions this summer, which they fear could impact the number of tourists the islands see each year.

Astypalaia relies on bottled water for drinking and didn’t receive much of the rain which drenched the rest of Greece this winter.

Nikos Komineas, mayor of the island, said: ‘If we collected all the water dropped throughout the year in a bucket or in a washbowl, it would be 2.5 centimeters deep.’

Hotel owner Maria Alkalai, 42, said she’s incentivising guests to save water by offering vouchers.

Anyone who skips the daily cleaning service receives a 5 euro coupon – ‘Clients have embraced it,’ she said.

Greece’s Environment Minister Stavros Papastavrou has approved 15 million euros ($17 million) for desalination, grid upgrades, and water tanks on nine of Greece’s islands.

Water resilience is becoming a major issue in Greece, however, potentially stunting economic growth and locals if not addressed soon.

In 2025, to tackle some of the water scarcity, hotels said they would fill their pools with seawater.

Despite tourists’ complaints, Greece is under increasing pressure to reimagine tourism in a sustainable way amid climate change and rising visitor numbers.

Greece has long been a popular tourist destination but the number of visitors has exploded in recent years. In 2023, Greece saw record highs with 33 million foreign visitors in total. 

But this rise in tourism has sparked protests across several Greek islands, where locals are increasingly concerned about the impact of overtourism.

In the summer, several protests were held across the Cyclades, a collection of Aegean islands that includes popular tourist destinations like Santorini and Mykonos. 

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