The Greek Current

Greece's "beach towel movement" gains popularity, raising questions about the country's tourism model

Episode Summary

Nick Malkoutzis, the co-founder and editor of Macropolis.gr, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the “beach towel movement” in Greece, which has seen citizens on a number of popular islands mobilize to reclaim their beaches from private businesses, and look at its broader impact.

Episode Notes

A new movement is underway in Greece, and is taking place on its beaches in the middle of the tourist season. Citizens on a number of popular islands have been mobilizing to reclaim their beaches from private businesses, a number of which have illegally covered the seafront with umbrellas and sunbeds. These demonstrations are already starting to have an impact, with the so-called “beach towel movement” not only raising questions about the sustainability of the current tourism model in Greece, but also taking on a political dimension. Nick Malkoutzis, the co-founder and editor of Macropolis.gr, a political and economic analysis site that focuses on Greece, joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the “beach towel movement” and its broader impact. 

You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:

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