Preparing for your holiday and knowing what to expect is very important, and I thought I had done so very well ahead of my getaway to Crete earlier this month. The trip was much-needed and way overdue, and I greatly enjoyed a mix of exploring, museum visits and sun-soaked relaxation. But one thing completely skipped my mind, and an extremely embarrassing thing given that I have written an awful lot about overtourism of late.
Upon checking out of my four-star hotel, the Capsis Astoria in Heraklion (come on, I needed a bit of luxury), I was informed that I was due to pay €40 in “city tax” – €10 per night. This was on top of a €16 fee for a breakfast on my first morning, which, incidentally, I was unimpressed by and did not return to. The disturbing sight of cocktail hot dog style sausages mixed in with scrambled eggs will live with me forever. I was a tad flummoxed at the £35 charge, and asked the receptionist how many breakfasts I was paying for.
When she explained the meaning behind the amount, I felt a bit silly.
I am familiar with the concept of tourist taxes, and we at the Express have reported extensively on those already active, as well as mooted, especially in countries popular with British visitors, such as Spain.
But I was not aware that Heraklion was one of those holiday hotspots that had rolled out the measure.
It was not the largest fee, and I was happy to pay it, given the strain that residents across the world say tourists have on their homelands.
In Tenerife earlier this year, I saw this frustration first-hand, including environmental concerns, such as the impact of sewage outflows on the ocean, and that sky-high rents, which campaigners say are down to hotels and other accommodation for holidaymakers, have meant people have turned to living in vans, tents and makeshift houses in shanty towns.
I did not notice this in Crete, albeit I did not venture particularly widely, and I certainly was not working.
In fact, Heraklion is the European spot with the most tourists per-capita.
The city saw more than 6.5million annual visitors in 2024, according to the study highlighted by the Mirror.
That figure suggests that the area has around 22 tourists per resident.
A Reddit user posted a photo of graffiti, purportedly in Heraklion, that read: “migrants welcome, tourists f*** off.”
They wrote: “What’s with the anti tourist sentiment in Crete?
“This is in Heraklion but saw similar graffiti in Chania.
“It’s a bit of a downer to an otherwise beautiful place to be honest.”
The only graffiti I noticed during my time there was pro-Palestinian messages.
As travelling around the world is now easier than ever, it can be easy to only consider how it affects yourself – you need the break, you have a right to stay somewhere nice, you have a right to go and see nice places and eat nice food.
And it is true that some places depend on tourism.
But there is a balance, and places can all too easily become addicted to foreign income, leading to negative consequences.
It is therefore important for tourists to bear in mind the impact they have, even as a very small fish in a huge shoal.
I found myself aware of every footstep I took in the Palace of Knossos, with hundreds of thousands of feet having an inevitable eroding effect on ancient landscapes.
Paying a bit extra is surely not that big of a deal to help out the place you enjoyed.
If it’s any consolation, Cretians, I had a lovely time.