Overtourism:Greece Sets To Check Visitors

The Athens archaeological site which attracts visitors from around the world, keen to marvel at the ancient cultural spot, going forward, will take 20,000 only a day, to keep track of footfall and enforcing an hourly slot system.

CNN reported that Greek culture minister Lina Mendoni said that the Acropolis currently has up to 23,000 daily visitors, calling this a “huge number.

Mendoni said while the site is opened until 8:pm, the majority of visitors were choosing to visit in the morning hours, creating bottlenecks and “unpleasant conditions for the visitors and the staff who are trying to accommodate this high volume of people.”

He stated that the goal of the new system  which is currently in its trial stages, and will likely be formally enforced from April 2024 – will tackle overcrowding and guarantee the safety

and longevity of the monument.

According to reports, Built on a rocky hill in the fifth century BC, the ancient Acropolis is home to a collection of historic ruins, buildings and artifacts – the most famous being the Parthenon temple, dedicated to the goddess Athena.

The site and its monuments “form the greatest architectural and artistic complex bequeathed by Greek Antiquity to the world,” according to UNESCO.

Earlier this summer, the Acropolis closed due to soaring temperatures amid a record-breaking European Heatwave Photos of the site from late August show it bathed in smoke from the recent Greek wildfires.

Starting April, the new booking system will also apply to other Greek archaeological sites that operate with electronic tickets, accounting for 90-95% of visitors to Greek sites.

CNN