The Greek islands are facing a crisis of overtourism, where the influx of tourists has led to environmental degradation, social strain, and a loss of authenticity. The author uses the hypothetical scenario of Inishturk with a dozen five-star resorts to illustrate this point, warning that the transformation of small islands into tourism destinations is erasing their very character and globalizing the experience. The author argues that the gap between government and industry policy on tourism and foreign investment and the concern of scientists, sociologists, and island-dwellers regarding planning and development is a significant issue. The author also highlights the lack of a national strategy for tourism in Greece, despite its importance to the economy. The author criticizes the academic conference on resilience in Corfu, which focuses on places suffering from overtourism, but fails to address the specific issues of Erimitis and Imerolia, which are threatened by development. The author argues that the transformation of small islands into tourism destinations is erasing their very character and globalizing the experience, and that the lack of ethical infrastructure in the approach to tourism is a significant challenge. The author concludes by emphasizing the need for a more sustainable and ethical approach to tourism in the Greek islands.
