Portrafti, Greece (AP) – Diamanturavasilio, who has taken a bus coupon, has decided to make the most of her short beach excursion.
The Athenian residents were among the thousands who toured four hours this month to Abraki Beach, an hour north of the Greek capital, to many transport plastic coolers and homemade lunches, or Abraki Beach, a summer vacation equipment.
“I’m coming here because I don’t have the money,” Vassiliou said.
Greece Tourism Industry It is booming, and crystalline water along its vast and robust coast has transformed the country into a source of Instagram posts that induce vy hope. Industry estimates show that foreign arrivals this year are expected to be up to four times the country’s 10 million population. But many Greeks look on the sidelines – the slow result of price spikes and wage growth.
People will arrive by bus on Wednesday, August 19, 2025 at Abraki Beach, about 42km (26 miles) east of Athens, Greece (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
European Union data shows that almost half of the Greeks could not afford a week’s holiday last year. This is just a slight improvement from 2019, the year after Greece’s crippling financial crisis, compared with about one in three in Italy and one in five in France.
Luxury resorts have crowded budget guesthouses and campsites that once created expensive destinations SantoriniMykonos and Paros It is accessible to Greek families.
Tourism is the foundation of Greece’s economy, providing direct supply of around 12% of the country’s production. However, as businesses became more and more accommodated foreign visitors, many were no longer close during the summer, preventing local workers from taking breaks.
Among them is iosif solanakis. Acropolis of Athens For customers to join the tour with his electric buggy.
“The money I make in the summer has to keep me going in the months where there’s not much work,” he said with a laugh. “Whenever I can take a few hours off, I can try the ocean.”
On Wednesday, August 19th, 2025, we are enjoying the oceans of Abraki Beach, about 42km (26 miles) east of Athens, Greece (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Concerns about the term “holiday poverty,” coined by trade unions, have spread throughout Europe as a sour summer plan.
Italian beach fans have joined social media to complain about the rising prices of standard umbrellas and two lounge chairs. This is the heart of Italian seaside holidays. Spots with sun loungers on popular beaches along the Italian Riviera run up to 80 euros ($93) per day, while luxury spots charge hundreds.
In Greece, many people pack their own umbrellas, carrying plastic containers of homemade food in scenes reminiscent of the 1980s, relying on buses instead of ferries and flights.
According to Gyorgos Lihoen, head of the Greek Institute of Consumer Protection, a six-day island trip for four families costs around 3,500 euros ($4,070) in countries where the average monthly income is not exceeding 1,000 euros ($1,160). Rising rent and utility costs consume almost everything.
“You have to live in others. That’s poverty,” Lehouritis said.
On Thursday, August 7, 2025, I will borrow a book from the Loan Library at Abraki Beach, about 42 kilometers (26 miles) east of Athens, Greece.
Retirement Nikos Margarity said on his way to Avraki that holiday accommodation is out of reach due to his tight budget.
“People who have worked for 35 or 40 years should get more support,” he said. “I’ve been working for 42 years. Do you deserve something better? I’ll do that.” ___ AP writer Colleen Barry contributed from Milan.
