Fancy a tour of the Acropolis? That will be €4,300, please! Anger as Greece plans to scoop ‘elite’ tour prizes as the famous site is overrun by 22,000 tourists every day
Furious tourists have criticized Greek officials over plans to introduce ‘elitist’ tour prices for exclusive access to the Acropolis.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Acropolis is a symbol of ancient Greek civilization and has become a must-see destination for tourists around the world.
Located in Athens, the historic site typically welcomes around 22,000 visitors per day during the peak summer season, which inevitably leads to overcrowding.
To reduce overcrowding and provide a more intimate experience, the Greek Ministry of Culture has introduced a scheme allowing small groups of up to five people to explore the site outside regular hours.
However, the proposed price tag of £4,285 (€5,000) for a small group has sparked outrage among travellers, including Jackie and Malcolm Love, who were recently baffled by the proposed rates.
Furious tourists have criticized Greek officials over plans to introduce ‘elitist’ tour prices for exclusive access to the Acropolis (stock image)
The couple from Ipswich had visited the Acropolis in April and when they encountered a large crowd of tourists there, they opted to experience it from a distance.
Speaking to the GuardianJackie explained, “We didn’t go, not with all those people.”
The Love’s wondered about doing a private tour instead, but were left stunned after discovering the sky-high cost of an ‘exclusive’ expert-led tour.
Malcolm, a truck driver, said, “We can’t afford that,” as Jackie added, “Crazy prices. Certainly not for people like us.’
Under the new arrangement, up to four groups of five people each can enjoy guided tours led by expert archaeologists during exclusive time slots from 7am to 9am and from 8pm to 10pm – hours outside official opening and closing times.
This initiative aims to offer tourists a more intimate and less crowded experience of the historic monument before thousands of tourists climb the rocky hill
Nikoleta Valakou, president of the Hellenic Organization for the Development of Cultural Resources – a body affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, said: “We have been receiving requests for this from tour operators for a long time.”
According to Valakou, the ministry is willing to allow tours for individuals, provided they are willing to pay the group contribution of 5,000 euros – which could lead to the Ministry of Culture collecting up to 40,000 euros per day.
Located in Athens, the historic site typically welcomes around 22,000 visitors per day during the high summer season – which inevitably leads to overcrowding (stock image)
To ease overcrowding, Greek officials have introduced a scheme allowing small groups of up to five people to explore the site outside regular hours (stock image)
However, the proposed price tag of £4,285 (€5,000) for a small group has sparked outrage among travelers (stock image)
Under the new arrangement, up to four groups of five people each can enjoy guided tours led by expert archaeologists during time slots from 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM and from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM (stock image)
The Acropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a symbol of ancient Greek civilization and has become a must-see destination for tourists around the world (stock image)
Despite the high cost, Valakou adds that the tour offers additional incentives, including souvenirs to tourists. Yet the unaffordable pricing remains a major deterrent for many tourists.
However, the decision has sparked anger among tourists and Greek natives alike, with Costas Zambas, who led restoration work on the Acropolis for more than 25 years, denouncing the measure.
He told the Guardian: ‘It’s downright elitist. The whole idea goes against the spirit of a place we associate with democracy. It doesn’t sit well.’
Valakou has said the Ministry of Culture has taken the criticism to heart and insisted that “revenues will be reinvested” as the newly proposed Acropolis tour remains a “pilot program open to change.”
It comes as London’s tourist attractions have seen the biggest rise in holiday prices in the past 50 years, according to the new Which? analysis of changing travel costs.