Tourist agents in Zakynthos are expressing significant concerns, as this year’s season highlighted, as they say, the need for a substantial redefinition of the island’s tourism strategy. Despite the positive arrival figures, there is a decrease in the purchasing power of visitors, increased demand for all-inclusive packages and limited possibilities for quality upgrading.
The decrease mainly concerns visitors from traditional European markets, who are now turning to destinations outside the EU, choosing cheaper holiday packages in other countries. This, as noted, demonstrates that the high cost of accommodation makes Zakynthos less competitive for certain segments of the market.
At the same time, the continuous reconstruction of the island has led to an oversupply of accommodation, with villas, Airbnb, hotels and rentals constantly increasing, while infrastructure remains inadequate. The issuance of thousands of new building permits for tourism businesses increases the risk of saturation, as the existing system lacks adequate water supply, sewage and other basic infrastructure for visitors.
In conclusion, the tourism operators are calling for priority to be given to improving infrastructure before any new construction, underlining that doubling the number of beds without corresponding services is not sustainable development.
