Santorini’s Tourism in Jeopardy: Earthquakes Disrupt Cruise Arrivals

The ongoing earthquakes in the Cyclades are starting to take their toll on Santorini’s tourism activity. The cruise ship ‘VIKING STAR’ which was anticipated to “open” this season in one of the world’s most popular destinations, is changing course for the port of Chania in Crete instead of the Caldera on February 10.

Santorini a world-renowned destination, with a permanent population of just 15,000–20,000 residents, welcomed 3.4 million tourists in 2023 through air travel, ferry arrivals, and cruises. Figures indicate that the island’s economic viability heavily depends on its tourism activity, with cruise ship arrivals largely contributing to this.

However, as industry experts point out, even if everything proceeds smoothly, and seismic activity stops, cruise lines and the port authority will still need to manage where cruise ships will dock if the recently announced landslide protection measures remain in effect. These measures include the closure of the ports of Ammoudi, Armeni, Korfos, and the Old Port of Fira.

In order for the cruise industry to recover, additional management measures will be needed to ensure visitor access to the island. To some extent, this issue can be mitigated as long as the port of Athinios remains open.

In any case, a major concern is whether the market will open for Easter, provided the worst-case scenario regarding seismic activity is avoided. This year there are high expectations for Easter as it coincides for both Catholics and Orthodox Christians.

However, if seismic tremors persist for an extended period, there is a significant risk that the island could lose its Easter tourism season.

The earthquake progression will also determine whether there is any hope of salvaging domestic tourism, particularly during the Carnival period, the long weekend of Clean Monday, and the Greek national holiday on March 25.

However, what reassures those in the tourism sector is that popular destinations tend to recover quickly once an adverse situation stabilizes. This has been demonstrated by the experience of the rapid recovery of Rhodes after the devastating wildfires, last year.

It is also encouraging that, so far, no decisions have been made by airlines, cruise companies, or other stakeholders to cancel bookings. Nevertheless, the season’s outlook will ultimately depend on how the situation evolves.