Greek here: just to clarify the (probably intentionally) ambiguity in this video. Beaches in Greece are public property, period, end of story. What these business do, almost always illegally, is that they occupy said public beaches with umbrellas or whatever else and frequently block you from entering. Legally speaking, you can just go in-between these umbrellas. These business owners are legally obliged to leave and ingress and egress for the public, free of charge, even if they own the property in front of a beach. Having said that, these "beach bars" are an atrocity. They occupy beaches almost always without a license, and when they do, they definitely over-expand their capacity. Not only that, they litter like crazy, and blast music like it's nobody's business. Finally, they charge ridiculous prices and tax evade. There's no good reason for these business to continue to operate like they do.
Well, why does this Mayor then ask for the national government to intervene? I scratched my head listening to him. Because this seems to me like a perfect example, of what a municipal authority should easily be able to handle with controls and hefty fines in the case of non-compliance. He's totally right in supposing that outsiders like me, will concive that this is a failure to regulate. I think he's the one in this town, who's too incompetent to do his job in this regard (or maybe corrupt and in cahoots with those illegal businesses and talks out of both sides of his mouth). Anyway, what he says stinks. I'd like to scream at him: 'You're the mayor for God's sake! Don't point fingers, do something!'
@@karsten9895 He is not incompetent. He is pocketing the money from those businesses. He is just saying that to the TV, but in reality he is part of the problem.
I don't want to go to places like that. I have been to Greese twice many years ago. Won't go again. Music on the beach and all those people. Such a corrupt society. Should never have been let into EU.
In Barbados, all beaches are public. No matter how rich or famous you are and what property you buy on the beach, anyone can use that beach. This should be the same everywhere. The problem with tourism is that countries like Greece can't survive without it, but the downside is that tourism will eventually destroy a place if it isn't controlled. I have seen beautiful places turn to utter dumps because of tourism.
In Greece also all beaches are public. It is in the constitution. You cannot buy a beach no matter how rich or famous you are. It is the commercial use of the public beach that is the issue in Greece right now, as discussed in this video. In other words access is not denied to anyone on those beaches but it is the use of the loungers placed on parts of the beach that does not leave much space for those who do not want to pay and sit on the loungers.
I don’t think you should blame the tourists. They just are consumers who buy whatever service was offered. They have no knowledge about the protective nature reserves. But who this service provides? Local greeks themselves! Local people screw everything because of the money.
@@mn7486 There is a very simple solution like banning loungers or needing a permit for loungers - but the local government is too inept to do anything about it, so it's a self perpetuated problem.
I was in Naxos and Paros this past summer and can attest to how out of control these commercial umbrella businesses have become. There were no spots on the coastline to just lay down a towel, it was all commercial spaces. I am glad to see the residents of Greece take back their coastline. Government should publicly display where authorized sunbeds are and the amount of beds.
All this sun beds are likely illegal, safest option is to just make this kind of activities illegal in public beaches so this shaddy business dont abuse it to monopoly the beach space
@phillydisco It would be legal to lay down on the spot of the sunbeds, but not on the sunbed itself I think. They may demand to not sit ON their objects, but they cannot claim the spot they placed them on. It would bug them a lot, if people just sat in those spots, maybe even under their umbrellas, because it would hurt their business, show other people, that the beach is free. If big thug Dimitri used force, that would make headlines, they don't want. But on beaches belonging to the public, you can also place yourself in front of the first row of sunbeds, enjoying the water front from the very first row, tourists were overcharged for. It shouldn't be allowed to charge for rows, since it's a free beach, not belonging to the business and everyone should be able to chose free of charge how far from the sea someone wants to sit. Business can rent out sunbeds or beach umbrellas, but no spots. No furniture should be placed on the beach before even being in use by tourists. It needs to be removable and not block others from using the public beach. Locals and tourists should stop these practices of businesses to occupy public space and forcing people into paying for it.
Nature doesnt need people to take care of it. We need nature. Nature will always survive and start afresh once we're gone. 99% of all living things that ever existed have gone extinct. We'll be no different given time.
The protestors have the right idea. In Boracay, Philippines they made a rule a few years ago banning all beach furniture (even if you bring your own). The hotels had been encroaching on the 25 meter no build zone, and lots of "temporary" structures were demolished. It caused quite a stir, but has made the beach so much more enjoyable, and easier to use. I do miss the beach loungers, but I appreciate the nicer beach. 😎
Wow, you have a 25 meter no build zone and no beach furniture? Our politicians should learn from yours! In Greece they build their hotels almost into the sea enclosing entire areas of beach (supposedly all beaches are public). This has actually happened at a beach I used to go as a kid, because tourism has grown exponentially in my area in the last ~10 years
wait how long ago? In my entire 13 years of the Philippines (I was born in Baguio city) there were furnitures, and it's been a while, also were Bahay Kubo's being destroyed too?
In Italy this is normality. The best and closest beaches are occupied and you have to pay to use them. And those that are left free are usually right next to harbour or around pipes. I've visited quite a few of greek islands, among them Naxos and back than beaches were free and beautiful. I wish you luck in getting back to that freedom.
as a tourist, i noticed this too when i went to the nearby islands of Venice. You can't even enter a beach anymore without paying because private properties have made a barricade to access the beach.
@@WL113 thats ok, thats why the law only lets a part of the beach be used by bussinesses, but what happens in Greece is that they take the whole beach and dont let people who dont want to pay to sit, apart from that there is nowhere to sit as the beach is whole covered in sunbeds
When I lived in Hawaii, surfers were denied access to beaches by Japanese land owners who piled limbs and yard wastes, blocking the public access. The surfers resolved the problem with a Bic lighter. Very exciting solution.
Well, different methods for different places here where I live on vancouver island they just put a high end tourist trap villa and then zone all the beach space around it off as private property. Only places not up for grabs were designated as federal park land years ago, and on a beach I've gone to all my life using the high water mark as a loophole they sold off and island you can walk to on low tide. Private property signs all over it. As long as your toes are touching sand your safe. But it just goes to show how horny these guys get for the money. I'd expect no less elsewhere. That being said it's a long coastline of rugged terrain. You walk far enough from town over bogs or volcanic rock cliffs and you will find sand with no road to it.
I mean, someone making money by ignoring laws in the Balkans? WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED. This is just a national sport in all of eastern Europe. Croatia, Albania, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Serbia...
What a great example of a small easy story to document which yet shows a case study of what could become a rising Trend applied in many facets of life. Good choice to vary the content in my opinion
In Bulgaria the beaches are state property, but they given on a concession. By law 50% of the beaches should be free without umbrellas, but there have been abuses. It's a constant battle. And the diggers in protected areas and building massive concrete hotels right on the shore have been happening.
Happened in my home country too..except they also built brick fences preventing access to all the beaches. I was a child. It really broke my soul. You couldnt even go for a walk and see the sea anymore
There's BIG money on those beaches. Each season thousands of wealthy Rus, Slav, Macedon, Pol's and Germans coming to the Island retreats have turned small stretches of beach into an industry. Of coarse the gangsters took note and have wormed into the works.
In Greece, beaches are public property. Yet, many beach bars illegally occupy vast areas, blocking public access. They litter, blast loud music, and charge exorbitant prices, with some evading taxes. Behind the scenes, bribes, corruption, and connections to local authorities enable these violations. These businesses blatantly disregard public rights and regulations. Stricter oversight is crucial to preserve our beaches for everyone.
Yeah, tourists bugger off! Australia has the right idea. Beaches are accessible to all - no business is allowed to take over the sand. They tried it on Bondi recently and the public went crazy (rightly)!
There is the case of an island in Queensland where other landholders (Australian) have been denied access to the small harbour by a particular ethnic group from OS. Not sure how that's playing out.
@@paulevans8000 not to mention if i shoot a roo its 10k $ fine but they can kill turtles monitor lizards and crocodiles. all so take me to court for dot painting yet they wer show dot painting buy french teacher in the 1970 60,000 year art lie
@@littlehillsVery true about the dot paintings. They were shown that style by an artist as you say. Also the so-called "Welcome to Country" was made up by Ernie Dingo as a joke.
I remember seeing a similar situation in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Most locals don't have access to the beaches, because they are walled for the resorts... Whoever goes there and just stays at the resorts also does not get to experience the real Punta Cana. It's quite sad that this is how it's been done...
In Mexico all beaches are federal property, so public basically at least 20 meteres from the shoreline inland. Still we face similar issues as in the video, hotels at times attempt to privatize it in practice. Some years ago a young couple was thrown out from a beach by hotel personnel, this prompted a big demonstration where hundreds of people went and stayed with their towels all day in that very same beach. The owner had of course to give in and give a public apology, there was no way to fight so many people, also the media picked up the story so there was pulic outcry everywhere. This is just to show that we face similar issues everywhere, no matter nationality, ethnicity or whatever, there is always a greedy group of people trying to appropiate stuff for themselves.
This Rent-a-lounge-chair-and-umbrella business, is slowly growing on our beaches. Especially on our sister island of Tobago. Nobody has objected to this as yet, and it will go out of control in time. Trinidad & Tobago. West Indies.
I been on many locations in Greece, as a tourist I don't like the businesses that take beach over and sell sun beds and "parking", I like to go in a relaxed place, with my own towel and drinks, come when I want and leave when I want, their "buying sunbeds" constrains are irritating. It is not just Greece, in my own country it is worse. But Greece is nicer so it's a pitty.
There are many options in Greece to find this. Go to Eastern/SouthEastern Crete, Ikaria, Fourni, Chalkidiki, etc. You just go and vibe alone, especially the nude beaches. Unless you go to the main tourist spots you will certainly find secluded beaches.
It sucks when companies do this. I was in santorini in 2018 and even in May all the beach where covered with sunbeds so ended up having to rent one , even though my friends and i only wanted to swim . Best wishes to the protestors !
How do you expect us to use the beaches if there are no sun beds and umbrellas? They need more amenities not less. I would not be paying top dollar and flying for 12 11 hours to Greece if the beaches have no amenities and McDonald’s/KFC etc.
Yes, but by paying you took part in the problem. If you wanted to swim you shouldn't have rented anything. If you wanted to take sun you could just spread your towel in the sand. By paying you are feeding the problem.
As a tourist you always have the duty to research before booking a holidays ! I am one lucky European which has Greek friends and always have been on safe side of not supporting the corruption in Ellada !! A lot of places/islands in Ellada had been destroyed with the indirect tourists ,,help/actions,, !! Zakynthos island (as an example) has issues with the growing nr of tourists on its beaches and its natural habitat for the turtles !! The access to the beach should be free and done in respectable way and ALWAYS CLEAN after yourself !!!!!!
Zakynthos Island where Greeks ride their cars on the beach and use it as a road is not a threat for the turtles? Those are GREEKS… not tourists! Have you ever been to Laganas, you will see cars driving litterally on the beach!
@@Fievelavie Agree and yes I heard and seen few times this actions you speak about !! Laganas and Cameo Island are the type of places I try to avoid in my holidays if I can !Bad apples are in every society out there !
Cruise ship people don’t care they just want the Instagram shot and destroy everything. If they were only allowing loungers for locals and tourists who visit multiple days and banned cruise ship infestation the problem would be fixed. They are destroying Venice.
honestly to me, going to Greece to pay money to sit on a beach is just dumb. I like going to a beach for a half hour or so, but like to find other activities to do, horseback riding, strolling along window shopping, museums, going out on a boat etc
Wow you talk as if tourists are the enemy - yeah, let's all stay in our homes and never travel anywhere just like the establishment elites and people like you want us to do
@@temper44 They can’t, hopefully they would get two days off a week and they could protest. Get the children involved protesting at the beach after school if there is nowhere for them to sit, as all space taken up by beds and brollies. Most beaches have a place to hire beds and a section which is free to sit on the sand. They also have a petition signed by over a thousand and if the council or Mayor or whoever is in charge, if they don’t do something about it, then don’t vote for them next time.
I grew up in Durban, on the sub-tropical east coast of south Africa, and hated the way it was over run in summers, to the point that the beaches where heaving!, but for us it was not foreigners it was tourists from other inland parts of the country, and the result was the beaches became no go areas, for locals, crime went through the roof, hundreds drown as Durban is a surf location so big waves and the police are over run with missing and lost children, I can imagine what that is like but worse for the greeks because its much smaller and islands, unlike the greeks though businesses do not get the stake plots on the beaches
As someone that grew up in Florida and was born there. I can understand your frustration. And I promise I won't disrespect you. Give Greece back it's cafes and beaches🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Puerto Rican here, same exact thing is happening over here. All beaches are public, but hotels and private american owned residential areas are going around that and blocking access to reserve it exclusively to american tourists staying here
@@xpusostomos those who make the majority of their money off the labour of others and the ownership of scarcity instead of their own labour. Eat the rich.
This is sadly happening in Albania as well. As a citizen of Durres it's been 20 years since i last went to the city's beach. The city is built on a cape that divides two gulfs, and on the other gulf we had a secret beach, near a lagoon. I went there these last 16 years. Year after year I've seen these businesses pop up taking from the public beach each year more, and witnessed this year seeing it reduced in about 100 meters of beach, we were forced to pay for loungers 3€ - 10€ on this side versus the city's beach where a lounger's price went sometimes above 30€. 😢 Being it a hidden for tourists place at least we had that peace of mind but this year we saw tourists there as well, it's dreadful.
It happens in collaboration between corrupt officials and local or high up businessmen! Just like everywhere else everything is being privatized and while Albanian young men are told to go to England illegally, the government and its friends are buying up or taking every private or public property they can
Albania is wonderful! But as far as I could tell, the beaches are more or less ruined already. Why go somewhere with Italian beach lounger prices as long as there are places in Euroope (France, Greece, Spain) with plenty of public beaches?
Same in Montenegro. Used to have wide free spaces and now they're putting everywhere these beds just to make profit out of it. There should be the law about limitations and give wide free space where you can put a towel and be optional to lay on the bed. I miss old times. Also it used to be way less beds before corona and after it happened to be wider. It became insane this year that everyone seeing it being "normal".
Literally between 20 euros and 50 euros to freaking fcuking rent out a day by day by day... fcuk coughing up all that outrageously pricey rent usages.. Nondeclared monies and taxes indeedy..
Simple solution. No private loungers and umbrellas allowed on the beach. The government takes over responsibility for renting loungers and umbrellas for all beaches. Daily rental includes transport and set-up and daily removal of the lounger and umbrella. Government rental locations are located all along the beach, thus blocking the beach bars from expanding.
When I visited Italy I saw the same problem, so glad I live in a beach city in Southern California, nobody can own the beaches here and if you have a business near de beach you have to provide access to the public to that beach, no rental of umbrellas either.
Send the authorities to take the loungers down in the middle of the day! There's no reason for them to be there. If people want shade, they can bring their own umbrellas. I live in Florida, and it is absolutely illegal for any business to try to "reserve" an area of the beach by putting out chairs or loungers, or to block off public access to a beach via a gate or fence. That's how it should be, because the beaches are public spaces, maintained with tax dollars from residents and visitors.
3:23 if I was in charge - the office of tourism should manage the rentals of beach equipment or parks and recreation (whoever maintains the beach). Hotels can charge more to keep tourists in check. Restraints can serve locals and tourists - you can not develop protected areas. Be reasonable especially after all the fires.
If I had my way I’d encourage tourists to bring their own loungers and umbrellas or rent them from their hotels instead of kicking the locals off their own beaches by encouraging illegal privatization.
The core of the issue is corrupt politicians who allow hotels to break the law, its absolutely pathetic. You eventually end up with a situation like in the Philippines whereby you have to rent a beach. When the beach fronts are taken away from the public you degrade the quality of life for all citizens of a country. Its a basic right to be able to freely walk along a beach, once you privatize a section of it you basically sell the soul of your nation. Croatia has done an excellent job at privatizing beaches to the point it has squeezed its own residents to specific corners. Considering that Croatia is a Balkan banana republic with virtually no civil law and no respect for its own citizens its not entirely surprising. No decent European country should stoop so low as to allow the privatization of beaches to the point that their own citizens are marginalized like second rate riff raff when trying to access its local beach.
Good fcuking idea no no delightfully excellent idea @stewlew8446 Use them illegally operated sun loungers and blatantly bastarding don't pay too whomever comes to get the rent or whenever they actually arrive.. And tell all those 100% guilty owner/operators to go fcuk themselves and go fcuk each other.. A public beach is a public bastarding beach..
@@stewlew8449You have completely misunderstood what local people want. They do not want to have unnecessary arguments. They want the beaches cleared and the law properly enforced by the authorities. You make it sound as if it’s the responsibility of individuals. It’s not: it’s the failure of the authorities. Those loungers and sun shades should not be there as permanent fixtures.
Wow, the government should not permit grants for businesses on a public beach. Because this is what happens. I can’t imagine this happening in Florida in my beach town. there’s like one or two guys that rent out things on the beach but I’ve never seen more than four or five chairs out there. There would be outrage in the streets if it was like this. And the chairs that they rent out are just those small portable plastic beach chairs. Just for tourist that didn’t bring their own. Nothing like these.
Be careful because the entire Southern US is getting crowded and if you have lots of room now you probably won't in 10 years. I live near Galveston Texas. Used to be great. Galveston is a long island that looks like a strip so most of the Gulf side was a free beach. Now you must pay to park alongside the road to even access the beach, it's incredibly crowded most of the time and there is barely anywhere which has free to access the beach. Only a few areas , not like before. Maybe one day there will be no more free areas.
seems like maybe all the sun loungers/umbrellas should be put well back from the high tide mark. And if those people who pay to rent one want to get to the water, they can walk a 100 feet or so around the regular sunbathers
So the people in background playing on the sand during that man’s interview were severely dehydrated and burnt? Please!!! Give the beach back to the locals.
Greece needs to look at what we do in California. The entire 1000+ miles is open to ALL. There are some access issues with the wealthy blocking access in elite area and there are legal battles over such matters. By and large the overwhelming majority of the entire coast is free to use. The “mean high tide line” is used to designate the boundary between private property and public land. There are private beaches - but that simply means the land access is private. You can walk along the shore at low tide or boat in - nobody can keep you out. It’s state law.
this is mostly about the most popular regions in Greece obviously as Greece has by far the longest coastline in the Mediterranean spanning 16.000km. However. Greece with it's 80% mountains and all of this coastline is a divine place with many spectacular sceneries of any kind. In order for it to not become Spain, not even sun bed should litter a beach. Let alone entire urban settlements like in Spain. The scenery of Greece is unmatched. And it's unmatch because of this wild geography, mountains and sea in the way it is. And it is good that local Greeks are fighting for its own free beach. And make the state so outrageously refined that they can come at any time without anyone knowing. Give hefty fines to those who abuse the law so that this sunbeds thing is a quick thing of the past. And I mean the illegal ones
@@Jose-jr5ib o no! It hurt so much! You do know that the economy joke is long past? Or are we going to make jokes about events happening 3000 years ago as well? Greece has plenty of all of that. But meanwhile in reality, the spectacular beauty which obliterates that of Spain in 1001 ways, will always be like that, no matter if Greece's economy is less or better than Spains.
@@Jose-jr5ib Also. What makes Greece also breathtaking is the following. If you stand nearly anywhere on Spain's or Italy's coastline and look out on the sea, what do you see? nothing. Nothing but sea till the horizon. Making the views over the sea often much more the same. But stand in Greece on any coastline and it will be with a kaleidoscope of layers of mountains, islands and other geographic elements till the horizon, making every view breathtaking and thus every sunset, sunrise breathtaking in a unique way too. That is what makes Greece again truly spectacular. Now. I like to hear some more economy jokes of you. Spain has highest unemployment, higher than Greece nowadays. Do I care? No. Spain and Greece are much more wonderful than some current economy statistics. But when we talk about sheer beauty, then Greece has on average by far the most dramatic scenery of any of the nations in the Mediterranean
Riccione, Italy is like this. The beach is cover with parasols and lounge chairs. I am visiting from Toronto to go biking in the interior so I am not affected but the locals are and tourists who refuse to pay,
We have the same problem in Malta and especially in Comino, businesses basically take up most of the beach to put up deckchairs. Can't even go to Comino anymore without being squeezed into a tiny beach, people literring, and the most amazing thing is that the whole island is a protected site but the government only cares about money from tourism.
There's a bigger problem wrapped up in this and that's overcharging of tourists. It's really annoying as a tourist in a place Greece or turkey that you pay a huge premium for everything. And the locals are basically saying they don't want to pay that premium. But tourists will still have to.
When I lived in Greece starting in the “90, we wished there was an area where they rent sun beds and parasols, but this is certainly due to over tourism these days 😢
It's not only happening to The Greeks. In Portugal, some beaches have private condos which goes against the law and nationals are not allowed to get there unless they are rich or because the path tothe beach has a fence.
I think they should do what they have done where I live on the Adriatic coast of Italy. All of the beaches are divided into zones. Some zones are occupied by businesses that want to operate a Sunlounger business and other zones are completely open to the public. Each zone has a sign in front of it that very clearly states what the rules of that zone are. Some zones allow dogs, some zones do not. Some allow umbrellas, some do not. All of the rules are very clear in five different languages and with pictures . This allows people who want to be entrepreneurial and have a business, be able to operate a business and make money while at the same time leaving sections of the beach open for everyone that they cannot operate their business on. It seems to work really well here. I also love having his own or I know I can bring my doggy who loves the water and nobody can say anything about it because it clearly says on the sign for that zone that she is allowed ! But you can do both rather successfully. It doesn’t have to be either or. It doesn’t have to be 100% private or 100% public. Abruzzo has managed to do both, at least on the stretch of beach that I live near quite well.
Not a good example. Italy is as bad, if not worse than Greece. Beaches have been allowed to slip into private control and restricted access for generations.
@@carbonwarrioryup beach in Rimini theres literally hundreds of umbrellas/lawnchairs stacked next to each other, no personal space, same in Monterosso at Cinque Terre, beauty of the beach destroyed by all the stacked umbrellas, was incredible to see
Wtf, half of Italy is full with sunbeds. To find good spots you can only go very south or sicilia. Italia totally lost controll over beaches. In the Gulf of Genua you can only enter beaches via club houses and then ppl ask in bad voice what you do here, even there are small public spaces left. Hope Greece never becomes Italy in that way! Kalimera
In Calabria Italy. Municipal/ taxpayer owned property is being taken by private land barons by old laws in the books. It allows allow farmers/landbarons to own it after so many years of "maintaining it". Much if it along the shoreline in the town I have gone to for years. The land barons will then offer to sell it back to restaurant owners affected who are losing cusomer parking spaces near their leased restaurants. Shamefull.
People need to start stacking those lounge chairs up and setting them to the side, and if you’re confronted about it just extend your arm in the direction of this person and then extend your middle finger. It’s a public place, legally they can’t do anything.
Encountered this same issue when I visited a beach in Las Palmas, Canary Islands. Barely anywhere to lay down, all the space taken up by beach chairs at a price. The rest of beach was overrun with people trying to occupy what was left. After an hour, I left hopped on a bus to return to my hotel. But on the way spotted a fenced off beach, pre-development. Spent the rest of the day there snorkelling and relaxing, until a security guard came and politely asked the few of us there to leave.
I dont remember this in Greece, I remember this from Italy. The apartment which we borrowed advertised itself as giving a sunchair for the rent on the beach, which was indeed there, but we never actually used it. The whole beach looked horrible BTW, kilometer long rows of sunchairs till you can see it.
Naxos is such a beautiful island! I was there a few times on vacation 25 years ago, so beautiful beaches and clean water. It was an insider tip with not that many tourists around. We stayed in a little pension in Agia Ana and had a wonderful time. We stayed on the beach with just towels and no umbrella and last during the summer heat for hours, not just five minutes. It's such a shame, what's happening there. I hope the Greek government will intervene and forbid such businesses. Beaches should be free for everyone.
If the government is weak and sycophantic to purely capitalistic interests, businesses will take advantage. If these bosses are breaking laws they should be arrested, the beaches belong to the people.
I am not from your country... the beaches schould be free.... it is a shame for the locas. I would sign for the locas to get their beach back.... earth is from everyone for everyone! Maybe the locas should all lie down in between all of this, like this is also my space....not paying for anything 😊
Ah the joy of living by the beach in the Northwest of England. Miles of beach and wildlife and no tourists well only one or two. See there are good points to our unpredictable weather 😊
tell that to Albania, visited summer 2023, most of the nice beaches now are PRIVATE, and they charge you 30 EUR, wanna bring your own towel etc.... NOT allowed. I am now booking more and more trips to places outside europe.
I have been a tourist there. Please share these businesses name that are attempting to push out Greek people i do not want to give my money to businesses who attempt to push out local people
This happens everywhere there is an investment. In my city in Mexico, the hotels blocked off the access to our beach and us locals just cross through their business without caring even thought they.
Same problem with backwater thailand. Nice to hear that other countries have this problem too In thailand sometimes beach mafia kick the tourist if sit near their shade😂
I hope they win, this is crazy, there should be room for everyone, but then tourist do get very greedy and very up themselves thinking they own everything just because they bought an airline ticket and rented hotel space. If I went there I would rather roam the hills and surrounding area, personally I’m not a fan of the beach, just way too many people there.
It's sad to see greece has same problem like turkey has. Now looks like they only ask for 20 to 50 euro but if this people can't stop they will start to ask even 100 or more. Also they can put fences on the sides and no one can get closer.
Here in the US that's the problem with rivers. You can't access them bc the land around them is privatized. It's especially bad in Texas. You can just look at the river or pay someone on private land to access the river.
The same is happening in Cyprus, the area they leave on the beach for the public is no wider than three meters before another sun lounger business places their beds next to you and beach bars have their table and chairs behind you. They do lose their licence, but the next person does the same thing, its a never ending story. It's a shame that families can't enjoy a day at the beach without spening at least 40 euro just for a spot to sit. We resorted to traveling outside Limassol to go to the beach. Its free, less stressful and alot cleaner.
They just need a one legal place with parasols, and the excessive fines for the ones that are trying to expand it beyond limits. That current prosecution is clearly not enough and should be toughen dramatically. Though I'm pretty sure that the local government benefits from this illegal activity in some way, so they are trying to turn a blind eye on it as long as they can.
dominican republic is like that. beaches used to be open. when i came back it was overdeveloped, there wasn't even sand to walk in. everything staked out by restaurants
Why do people keep renting them? I never bothered with them; heck, I don't even bother finding a spot; when I go to the beach in Greece or wherever I just go into the water, and retreat when I'm done swimming 😅
Never been to Greece but the same problem is in my country. I live by the sea but all Summer the beaches are crowded with umbrellas and chairs, you can't go for free like in my childhood. But I was planning a holiday to Greece. I realize now that I have to add 20-50 euro a day to spending if I want to go to the beach, a huge amount.
All beaches in Greece are public property. Citizens only wanted that the government enforce the current laws. There's plenty of free space for any beachgoer who doesn't want to sit at beach bars. Can confirm this in my area. The pressure that the citizen gave to the government actually worked. There are now frequent inspections. Many beach bars owners got either fined, got jail time or had to close. For example, one beach bar in my area, that worked for 5 years, never had a permission. It was forced to close, and the owner got jailed. The government will also now equip (for next summer season) local authorities all over Greece with drones, latest satellite images (of the beaches), and the "floorplan" of each beach bar to be publicly available (over internet & physically at beach bars). So they can check at any time illegal beach "acquisition" by beach bar owners.
Yes yes multiple nighttime walks on the those public beaches for the public. And covertly secretively set fire to all those blatantly illegal encroaching beach equipment. The tosspot pisspoor operators will not call local law enforcement first off as they all will be punished on sight in public in full view off the public then named and shamed afterwards..
Somewhat poorly explained segment. Hard to understand what the precise circumstances are; Do the hotels claim the beach property and place sun chairs and umbrellas there in violation of the law, or what? It wasn't made clear, which made the context quite perplexing and confusing...
I’ve read elsewhere that on many islands, people will illegally build resorts. So I wouldn’t be surprised if people are payed off to get access to beaches and renting sun loungers.
Love Greece. Agreeing with the locals on this one. If people want umbrellas then they can be rented( only the ones you stick in the ground yourself) not bought otherwise you end up with them being dumped. Have been using towls and blankets for years
In Italy Puglia and Sardinia have regulations that require 60% of beaches to be free to access. But many other regions in Italy don't have a specific quota.
The government should post the following on bill boards hoisted along Beach entry sites; 《Beaches are a national property to remain free for the nation's citizens. Violators will be fined by Act "abc section xyz"》 The government should post Beach "Rangers" just as it posts Beach "Life Guards" to catch violators and issue infraction tickets to whomever they catch by recording their passport and ID details.
Greek here: just to clarify the (probably intentionally) ambiguity in this video. Beaches in Greece are public property, period, end of story. What these business do, almost always illegally, is that they occupy said public beaches with umbrellas or whatever else and frequently block you from entering. Legally speaking, you can just go in-between these umbrellas. These business owners are legally obliged to leave and ingress and egress for the public, free of charge, even if they own the property in front of a beach.
Having said that, these "beach bars" are an atrocity. They occupy beaches almost always without a license, and when they do, they definitely over-expand their capacity. Not only that, they litter like crazy, and blast music like it's nobody's business. Finally, they charge ridiculous prices and tax evade. There's no good reason for these business to continue to operate like they do.
Well, why does this Mayor then ask for the national government to intervene? I scratched my head listening to him. Because this seems to me like a perfect example, of what a municipal authority should easily be able to handle with controls and hefty fines in the case of non-compliance.
He's totally right in supposing that outsiders like me, will concive that this is a failure to regulate. I think he's the one in this town, who's too incompetent to do his job in this regard (or maybe corrupt and in cahoots with those illegal businesses and talks out of both sides of his mouth). Anyway, what he says stinks.
I'd like to scream at him: 'You're the mayor for God's sake! Don't point fingers, do something!'
@@karsten9895 He is not incompetent. He is pocketing the money from those businesses. He is just saying that to the TV, but in reality he is part of the problem.
@@mikatuthat's the definition of incompetent, not doing your job.
I don't want to go to places like that. I have been to Greese twice many years ago. Won't go again. Music on the beach and all those people. Such a corrupt society. Should never have been let into EU.
@mikatu That's what I thought.
In Barbados, all beaches are public. No matter how rich or famous you are and what property you buy on the beach, anyone can use that beach. This should be the same everywhere. The problem with tourism is that countries like Greece can't survive without it, but the downside is that tourism will eventually destroy a place if it isn't controlled. I have seen beautiful places turn to utter dumps because of tourism.
In Greece also all beaches are public. It is in the constitution. You cannot buy a beach no matter how rich or famous you are.
It is the commercial use of the public beach that is the issue in Greece right now, as discussed in this video.
In other words access is not denied to anyone on those beaches but it is the use of the loungers placed on parts of the beach that does not leave much space for those who do not want to pay and sit on the loungers.
I don’t think you should blame the tourists. They just are consumers who buy whatever service was offered. They have no knowledge about the protective nature reserves. But who this service provides? Local greeks themselves! Local people screw everything because of the money.
@@mn7486true but the problem is you don't want to be there if you didn't pay, so it kind of doesn't work
Greek People have to make the DECISIONS is their country: GOVERNMENT IS to SERVE and OBEY ... are they communist?!?
@@mn7486 There is a very simple solution like banning loungers or needing a permit for loungers - but the local government is too inept to do anything about it, so it's a self perpetuated problem.
I was in Naxos and Paros this past summer and can attest to how out of control these commercial umbrella businesses have become. There were no spots on the coastline to just lay down a towel, it was all commercial spaces. I am glad to see the residents of Greece take back their coastline. Government should publicly display where authorized sunbeds are and the amount of beds.
Send these Umbrellas back to where they belong, it’s not just beaches they take they are coming over ere and taking our jobs
All this sun beds are likely illegal, safest option is to just make this kind of activities illegal in public beaches so this shaddy business dont abuse it to monopoly the beach space
Personally I would just lay in the chairs and make them call police on me.
@phillydisco It would be legal to lay down on the spot of the sunbeds, but not on the sunbed itself I think. They may demand to not sit ON their objects, but they cannot claim the spot they placed them on.
It would bug them a lot, if people just sat in those spots, maybe even under their umbrellas, because it would hurt their business, show other people, that the beach is free. If big thug Dimitri used force, that would make headlines, they don't want.
But on beaches belonging to the public, you can also place yourself in front of the first row of sunbeds, enjoying the water front from the very first row, tourists were overcharged for.
It shouldn't be allowed to charge for rows, since it's a free beach, not belonging to the business and everyone should be able to chose free of charge how far from the sea someone wants to sit.
Business can rent out sunbeds or beach umbrellas, but no spots. No furniture should be placed on the beach before even being in use by tourists. It needs to be removable and not block others from using the public beach. Locals and tourists should stop these practices of businesses to occupy public space and forcing people into paying for it.
I totally agree and it should all be done legally.
The access to the beach should be free for anyone to visit and care for natural reserves. Is up to us to take care of nature.
Not tourists
@@jacksparrow2351 tsipras is not a thing though, and neither is his party.
malaka!
Nature doesnt need people to take care of it. We need nature. Nature will always survive and start afresh once we're gone. 99% of all living things that ever existed have gone extinct. We'll be no different given time.
@@jacksparrow2351its a deep seeded belief of purposelessness/Godlessness if you want to see it that way.
The protestors have the right idea. In Boracay, Philippines they made a rule a few years ago banning all beach furniture (even if you bring your own). The hotels had been encroaching on the 25 meter no build zone, and lots of "temporary" structures were demolished. It caused quite a stir, but has made the beach so much more enjoyable, and easier to use. I do miss the beach loungers, but I appreciate the nicer beach. 😎
Wow, you have a 25 meter no build zone and no beach furniture? Our politicians should learn from yours! In Greece they build their hotels almost into the sea enclosing entire areas of beach (supposedly all beaches are public). This has actually happened at a beach I used to go as a kid, because tourism has grown exponentially in my area in the last ~10 years
There is hardly any beach left on Boracay though. Tourists and climate change have destroyed it.
@@23ofSeptember You must not have been there lately. 😎
Boracay is completely overrun with tourists, it’s a crowded and jam packed cesspool.
Batanyan is much better.
wait how long ago? In my entire 13 years of the Philippines (I was born in Baguio city) there were furnitures, and it's been a while, also were Bahay Kubo's being destroyed too?
In Italy this is normality. The best and closest beaches are occupied and you have to pay to use them. And those that are left free are usually right next to harbour or around pipes.
I've visited quite a few of greek islands, among them Naxos and back than beaches were free and beautiful. I wish you luck in getting back to that freedom.
as a tourist, i noticed this too when i went to the nearby islands of Venice. You can't even enter a beach anymore without paying because private properties have made a barricade to access the beach.
Well, this is what happens with fascist governments.
Beaches should be free
well, ok. Buy if I want to pay money for the service on beach? I want sunbed, sunshade, towel, clean place. What's wrong with it?
No! They must be free
@@WL113everything
Just burn the things
@@WL113 thats ok, thats why the law only lets a part of the beach be used by bussinesses, but what happens in Greece is that they take the whole beach and dont let people who dont want to pay to sit, apart from that there is nowhere to sit as the beach is whole covered in sunbeds
When I lived in Hawaii, surfers were denied access to beaches by Japanese land owners who piled limbs and yard wastes, blocking the public access. The surfers resolved the problem with a Bic lighter. Very exciting solution.
Good for the local people for standing up..
Businesses ignoring Greek laws is the problem....
Well, different methods for different places here where I live on vancouver island they just put a high end tourist trap villa and then zone all the beach space around it off as private property. Only places not up for grabs were designated as federal park land years ago, and on a beach I've gone to all my life using the high water mark as a loophole they sold off and island you can walk to on low tide. Private property signs all over it. As long as your toes are touching sand your safe. But it just goes to show how horny these guys get for the money. I'd expect no less elsewhere.
That being said it's a long coastline of rugged terrain. You walk far enough from town over bogs or volcanic rock cliffs and you will find sand with no road to it.
@@larrymunn5279The American way "Private Property".
And bribery!
capitalism is the problem
I mean, someone making money by ignoring laws in the Balkans? WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED. This is just a national sport in all of eastern Europe. Croatia, Albania, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Serbia...
What a great example of a small easy story to document which yet shows a case study of what could become a rising Trend applied in many facets of life. Good choice to vary the content in my opinion
In Bulgaria the beaches are state property, but they given on a concession. By law 50% of the beaches should be free without umbrellas, but there have been abuses. It's a constant battle. And the diggers in protected areas and building massive concrete hotels right on the shore have been happening.
I live in Obzor. It is going on as we speak. No parking/hotel only signs just gone up at a beach I have been using for 10 years.
Happened in my home country too..except they also built brick fences preventing access to all the beaches. I was a child. It really broke my soul. You couldnt even go for a walk and see the sea anymore
Where did this happen? Are beaches public property there?
I would trespass
Beaches need to be public. No discussion.
they are public. it is the public that are sitting on the chairs.
@@bwana-ma-coo-bah425you sound smart 👽
@@Sim-po1mc according to the professors I am.
There's BIG money on those beaches. Each season thousands of wealthy Rus, Slav, Macedon, Pol's and Germans coming to the Island retreats have turned small stretches of beach into an industry. Of coarse the gangsters took note and have wormed into the works.
In Greece, beaches are public property. Yet, many beach bars illegally occupy vast areas, blocking public access. They litter, blast loud music, and charge exorbitant prices, with some evading taxes. Behind the scenes, bribes, corruption, and connections to local authorities enable these violations. These businesses blatantly disregard public rights and regulations. Stricter oversight is crucial to preserve our beaches for everyone.
It has already happened in Italy where almost all beaches are private. I really hope this will never happen in Greece as well
Yeah, tourists bugger off! Australia has the right idea. Beaches are accessible to all - no business is allowed to take over the sand. They tried it on Bondi recently and the public went crazy (rightly)!
What about the Yes Vote?
Let's hope that access to beaches isn't lost as well.
There is the case of an island in Queensland where other landholders (Australian) have been denied access to the small harbour by a particular ethnic group from OS.
Not sure how that's playing out.
@@paulevans8000 not to mention if i shoot a roo its 10k $ fine but they can kill turtles monitor lizards and crocodiles. all so take me to court for dot painting yet they wer show dot painting buy french teacher in the 1970 60,000 year art lie
@@littlehillsVery true about the dot paintings. They were shown that style by an artist as you say. Also the so-called "Welcome to Country" was made up by Ernie Dingo as a joke.
I remember seeing a similar situation in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Most locals don't have access to the beaches, because they are walled for the resorts... Whoever goes there and just stays at the resorts also does not get to experience the real Punta Cana. It's quite sad that this is how it's been done...
In Mexico all beaches are federal property, so public basically at least 20 meteres from the shoreline inland. Still we face similar issues as in the video, hotels at times attempt to privatize it in practice. Some years ago a young couple was thrown out from a beach by hotel personnel, this prompted a big demonstration where hundreds of people went and stayed with their towels all day in that very same beach. The owner had of course to give in and give a public apology, there was no way to fight so many people, also the media picked up the story so there was pulic outcry everywhere.
This is just to show that we face similar issues everywhere, no matter nationality, ethnicity or whatever, there is always a greedy group of people trying to appropiate stuff for themselves.
This Rent-a-lounge-chair-and-umbrella business, is slowly growing on our beaches. Especially on our sister island of Tobago.
Nobody has objected to this as yet, and it will go out of control in time.
Trinidad & Tobago.
West Indies.
i love greece because the beach is free, when you go to italy major beach town, very often the beach club took over the whole beach with sun umbrella
I been on many locations in Greece, as a tourist I don't like the businesses that take beach over and sell sun beds and "parking", I like to go in a relaxed place, with my own towel and drinks, come when I want and leave when I want, their "buying sunbeds" constrains are irritating.
It is not just Greece, in my own country it is worse. But Greece is nicer so it's a pitty.
There are many options in Greece to find this. Go to Eastern/SouthEastern Crete, Ikaria, Fourni, Chalkidiki, etc. You just go and vibe alone, especially the nude beaches. Unless you go to the main tourist spots you will certainly find secluded beaches.
It sucks when companies do this. I was in santorini in 2018 and even in May all the beach where covered with sunbeds so ended up having to rent one , even though my friends and i only wanted to swim . Best wishes to the protestors !
How do you expect us to use the beaches if there are no sun beds and umbrellas? They need more amenities not less. I would not be paying top dollar and flying for 12 11 hours to Greece if the beaches have no amenities and McDonald’s/KFC etc.
Yes, but by paying you took part in the problem. If you wanted to swim you shouldn't have rented anything. If you wanted to take sun you could just spread your towel in the sand. By paying you are feeding the problem.
@@chamade166you fly to Greece and want to eat McDonalds and KFC on the beach??
What a loser 😂😂
Even in May ? 🤮
If you are going to Greece to eat McDonalds you should probably not got at all.@@chamade166
Full support to the people of Greece from Croatia!
ROFL!!! Learn your history. Croatia literally stole all the mediterranean beach property from Jugoslavia.
@@lc3853 Go troll your mother and not me
As a tourist you always have the duty to research before booking a holidays ! I am one lucky European which has Greek friends and always have been on safe side of not supporting the corruption in Ellada !! A lot of places/islands in Ellada had been destroyed with the indirect tourists ,,help/actions,, !! Zakynthos island (as an example) has issues with the growing nr of tourists on its beaches and its natural habitat for the turtles !! The access to the beach should be free and done in respectable way and ALWAYS CLEAN after yourself !!!!!!
Zakynthos Island where Greeks ride their cars on the beach and use it as a road is not a threat for the turtles? Those are GREEKS… not tourists!
Have you ever been to Laganas, you will see cars driving litterally on the beach!
@@Fievelavie Agree and yes I heard and seen few times this actions you speak about !! Laganas and Cameo Island are the type of places I try to avoid in my holidays if I can !Bad apples are in every society out there !
Cruise ship people don’t care they just want the Instagram shot and destroy everything. If they were only allowing loungers for locals and tourists who visit multiple days and banned cruise ship infestation the problem would be fixed. They are destroying Venice.
honestly to me, going to Greece to pay money to sit on a beach is just dumb. I like going to a beach for a half hour or so, but like to find other activities to do, horseback riding, strolling along window shopping, museums, going out on a boat etc
Wow you talk as if tourists are the enemy - yeah, let's all stay in our homes and never travel anywhere just like the establishment elites and people like you want us to do
Who can afford €50 a day scandalous. I’m with the locals, we are guests. It’s their beach.
How can all the locals take time off work to protest on the beach though?
@temper44 maybe because it's important to them and they have maybe more balls than you.
@@temper44 They can’t, hopefully they would get two days off a week and they could protest. Get the children involved protesting at the beach after school if there is nowhere for them to sit, as all space taken up by beds and brollies. Most beaches have a place to hire beds and a section which is free to sit on the sand. They also have a petition signed by over a thousand and if the council or Mayor or whoever is in charge, if they don’t do something about it, then don’t vote for them next time.
Take your own umbrella and chair🤷🤣
I grew up in Durban, on the sub-tropical east coast of south Africa, and hated the way it was over run in summers, to the point that the beaches where heaving!, but for us it was not foreigners it was tourists from other inland parts of the country, and the result was the beaches became no go areas, for locals, crime went through the roof, hundreds drown as Durban is a surf location so big waves and the police are over run with missing and lost children, I can imagine what that is like but worse for the greeks because its much smaller and islands, unlike the greeks though businesses do not get the stake plots on the beaches
As someone that grew up in Florida and was born there. I can understand your frustration. And I promise I won't disrespect you. Give Greece back it's cafes and beaches🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Puerto Rican here, same exact thing is happening over here. All beaches are public, but hotels and private american owned residential areas are going around that and blocking access to reserve it exclusively to american tourists staying here
The elites should never be left alone.
Who are the supposed elites?
@@jzsbff4801 Be like the Morlock and the Eloy.
ur elite too@@jzsbff4801
@@xpusostomos those who make the majority of their money off the labour of others and the ownership of scarcity instead of their own labour. Eat the rich.
@@brasssnacks8413 and who is that in the scenario under consideration??? 🤦♂️
This is sadly happening in Albania as well. As a citizen of Durres it's been 20 years since i last went to the city's beach. The city is built on a cape that divides two gulfs, and on the other gulf we had a secret beach, near a lagoon. I went there these last 16 years. Year after year I've seen these businesses pop up taking from the public beach each year more, and witnessed this year seeing it reduced in about 100 meters of beach, we were forced to pay for loungers 3€ - 10€ on this side versus the city's beach where a lounger's price went sometimes above 30€. 😢 Being it a hidden for tourists place at least we had that peace of mind but this year we saw tourists there as well, it's dreadful.
It happens in collaboration between corrupt officials and local or high up businessmen! Just like everywhere else everything is being privatized and while Albanian young men are told to go to England illegally, the government and its friends are buying up or taking every private or public property they can
It’s about time we took back what’s rightful the publics
Albania is wonderful! But as far as I could tell, the beaches are more or less ruined already. Why go somewhere with Italian beach lounger prices as long as there are places in Euroope (France, Greece, Spain) with plenty of public beaches?
Same in Montenegro. Used to have wide free spaces and now they're putting everywhere these beds just to make profit out of it.
There should be the law about limitations and give wide free space where you can put a towel and be optional to lay on the bed.
I miss old times.
Also it used to be way less beds before corona and after it happened to be wider. It became insane this year that everyone seeing it being "normal".
Same in ksamil …
Good for them. I saw this happening in Sicilia. Not ok in any way shape or form. The beach is for the people, not for the greedy hotels.
Not a good look when greed gets that out of control. The world is watching, thanks DW for reporting!
Beautiful Beaches, Beautiful people, thats greece..
I doubt that all the income from those lounge chairs is being reported either.
Literally between 20 euros and 50 euros to freaking fcuking rent out a day by day by day...
fcuk coughing up all that outrageously pricey rent usages..
Nondeclared monies and taxes indeedy..
89.5% of taxable income is not reported in Greece.
That is crazy, beach should always stay free for everyone, especially the people who live there.
Simple solution. No private loungers and umbrellas allowed on the beach. The government takes over responsibility for renting loungers and umbrellas for all beaches. Daily rental includes transport and set-up and daily removal of the lounger and umbrella. Government rental locations are located all along the beach, thus blocking the beach bars from expanding.
Totally understand the locals. The holiday business is way out of control when they take all the pleasure from the people that actually live there.
When I visited Italy I saw the same problem, so glad I live in a beach city in Southern California, nobody can own the beaches here and if you have a business near de beach you have to provide access to the public to that beach, no rental of umbrellas either.
Send the authorities to take the loungers down in the middle of the day! There's no reason for them to be there. If people want shade, they can bring their own umbrellas.
I live in Florida, and it is absolutely illegal for any business to try to "reserve" an area of the beach by putting out chairs or loungers, or to block off public access to a beach via a gate or fence. That's how it should be, because the beaches are public spaces, maintained with tax dollars from residents and visitors.
a bow to the skilled cameraman who chose the finest views :)
And best people to interview ;)
3:23 if I was in charge - the office of tourism should manage the rentals of beach equipment or parks and recreation (whoever maintains the beach). Hotels can charge more to keep tourists in check. Restraints can serve locals and tourists - you can not develop protected areas. Be reasonable especially after all the fires.
In my opinion, such a scheme would fail due to corruption. Remember, this is Greece, not 🇸🇪
If I had my way I’d encourage tourists to bring their own loungers and umbrellas or rent them from their hotels instead of kicking the locals off their own beaches by encouraging illegal privatization.
The core of the issue is corrupt politicians who allow hotels to break the law, its absolutely pathetic. You eventually end up with a situation like in the Philippines whereby you have to rent a beach. When the beach fronts are taken away from the public you degrade the quality of life for all citizens of a country. Its a basic right to be able to freely walk along a beach, once you privatize a section of it you basically sell the soul of your nation. Croatia has done an excellent job at privatizing beaches to the point it has squeezed its own residents to specific corners. Considering that Croatia is a Balkan banana republic with virtually no civil law and no respect for its own citizens its not entirely surprising. No decent European country should stoop so low as to allow the privatization of beaches to the point that their own citizens are marginalized like second rate riff raff when trying to access its local beach.
If the sun loungers are there on a public beach, use them and refuse to pay
Good fcuking idea no no delightfully excellent idea @stewlew8446
Use them illegally operated sun loungers and blatantly bastarding don't pay too whomever comes to get the rent or whenever they actually arrive..
And tell all those 100% guilty owner/operators to go fcuk themselves and go fcuk each other..
A public beach is a public bastarding beach..
And if they want pay, they should call the police.
People just want a nice day out not a stand up argument. Think about it
@@jontalbot1 the people protesting are the locals, not the tourists. They don't want to pay €50 for their beach
@@stewlew8449You have completely misunderstood what local people want. They do not want to have unnecessary arguments. They want the beaches cleared and the law properly enforced by the authorities. You make it sound as if it’s the responsibility of individuals. It’s not: it’s the failure of the authorities. Those loungers and sun shades should not be there as permanent fixtures.
A flame thrower usually works to remove the business class off of the beach.
Wow, the government should not permit grants for businesses on a public beach. Because this is what happens. I can’t imagine this happening in Florida in my beach town. there’s like one or two guys that rent out things on the beach but I’ve never seen more than four or five chairs out there. There would be outrage in the streets if it was like this. And the chairs that they rent out are just those small portable plastic beach chairs. Just for tourist that didn’t bring their own. Nothing like these.
Be careful because the entire Southern US is getting crowded and if you have lots of room now you probably won't in 10 years. I live near Galveston Texas. Used to be great. Galveston is a long island that looks like a strip so most of the Gulf side was a free beach. Now you must pay to park alongside the road to even access the beach, it's incredibly crowded most of the time and there is barely anywhere which has free to access the beach. Only a few areas , not like before. Maybe one day there will be no more free areas.
seems like maybe all the sun loungers/umbrellas should be put well back from the high tide mark. And if those people who pay to rent one want to get to the water, they can walk a 100 feet or so around the regular sunbathers
So the people in background playing on the sand during that man’s interview were severely dehydrated and burnt? Please!!! Give the beach back to the locals.
"Even the mayor demands that the government takes action."
Muhahahaha! The guy literally is the government. :D
Come to Western Australia. We have thousands of kms of golden sandy beaches with beautiful blue seas and absolutely zero people on them.
Cool! Plenty of room for illegals!call them over!
Greece needs to look at what we do in California. The entire 1000+ miles is open to ALL. There are some access issues with the wealthy blocking access in elite area and there are legal battles over such matters. By and large the overwhelming majority of the entire coast is free to use. The “mean high tide line” is used to designate the boundary between private property and public land. There are private beaches - but that simply means the land access is private. You can walk along the shore at low tide or boat in - nobody can keep you out. It’s state law.
But the water is too cold to bathe in.
A lot of beaches here in the bay area are state beaches though. You have to cough up 8-9 bucks to park.
Hawaii and Oregon have similar laws - the public is allowed on any beach. But the law doesn’t allow you to cross private property to get there.
this is mostly about the most popular regions in Greece obviously as Greece has by far the longest coastline in the Mediterranean spanning 16.000km. However. Greece with it's 80% mountains and all of this coastline is a divine place with many spectacular sceneries of any kind. In order for it to not become Spain, not even sun bed should litter a beach. Let alone entire urban settlements like in Spain. The scenery of Greece is unmatched. And it's unmatch because of this wild geography, mountains and sea in the way it is. And it is good that local Greeks are fighting for its own free beach. And make the state so outrageously refined that they can come at any time without anyone knowing. Give hefty fines to those who abuse the law so that this sunbeds thing is a quick thing of the past. And I mean the illegal ones
At least Spain isn't Europes local bum asking for money every year
@@Jose-jr5ib o no! It hurt so much!
You do know that the economy joke is long past? Or are we going to make jokes about events happening 3000 years ago as well? Greece has plenty of all of that. But meanwhile in reality, the spectacular beauty which obliterates that of Spain in 1001 ways, will always be like that, no matter if Greece's economy is less or better than Spains.
@@Jose-jr5ib Also. What makes Greece also breathtaking is the following. If you stand nearly anywhere on Spain's or Italy's coastline and look out on the sea, what do you see? nothing. Nothing but sea till the horizon. Making the views over the sea often much more the same. But stand in Greece on any coastline and it will be with a kaleidoscope of layers of mountains, islands and other geographic elements till the horizon, making every view breathtaking and thus every sunset, sunrise breathtaking in a unique way too. That is what makes Greece again truly spectacular.
Now. I like to hear some more economy jokes of you. Spain has highest unemployment, higher than Greece nowadays. Do I care? No. Spain and Greece are much more wonderful than some current economy statistics. But when we talk about sheer beauty, then Greece has on average by far the most dramatic scenery of any of the nations in the Mediterranean
Sorry bud
@@Jose-jr5ib its alright. Warm hugs! I have no problem with statistics and also we both arent bad people😄
Riccione, Italy is like this. The beach is cover with parasols and lounge chairs. I am visiting from Toronto to go biking in the interior so I am not affected but the locals are and tourists who refuse to pay,
As a tourist I'm always looking for beaches without umbrellas. This is a real problem and must be stopped for sure!
Greece was my favourite go to holiday islands because of this very reason!
I can't handle crammed sunbeds and overcrowded beaches.
Charging up to 50 Euro a day for a sunlounge and an umbrella on a property that isn't yours is a rip off and should be illegal.
We have the same problem in Malta and especially in Comino, businesses basically take up most of the beach to put up deckchairs. Can't even go to Comino anymore without being squeezed into a tiny beach, people literring, and the most amazing thing is that the whole island is a protected site but the government only cares about money from tourism.
There's a bigger problem wrapped up in this and that's overcharging of tourists. It's really annoying as a tourist in a place Greece or turkey that you pay a huge premium for everything. And the locals are basically saying they don't want to pay that premium. But tourists will still have to.
When I lived in Greece starting in the “90, we wished there was an area where they rent sun beds and parasols, but this is certainly due to over tourism these days 😢
It's not only happening to The Greeks. In Portugal, some beaches have private condos which goes against the law and nationals are not allowed to get there unless they are rich or because the path tothe beach has a fence.
Shameful, greedy behaviour by businesses.
Quite frankly, I've never understood the attraction of sitting in front of the ocean, baking in the hot sun, working on one's skin cancer.
I think they should do what they have done where I live on the Adriatic coast of Italy. All of the beaches are divided into zones. Some zones are occupied by businesses that want to operate a Sunlounger business and other zones are completely open to the public. Each zone has a sign in front of it that very clearly states what the rules of that zone are. Some zones allow dogs, some zones do not. Some allow umbrellas, some do not. All of the rules are very clear in five different languages and with pictures . This allows people who want to be entrepreneurial and have a business, be able to operate a business and make money while at the same time leaving sections of the beach open for everyone that they cannot operate their business on. It seems to work really well here. I also love having his own or I know I can bring my doggy who loves the water and nobody can say anything about it because it clearly says on the sign for that zone that she is allowed ! But you can do both rather successfully. It doesn’t have to be either or. It doesn’t have to be 100% private or 100% public. Abruzzo has managed to do both, at least on the stretch of beach that I live near quite well.
Not a good example. Italy is as bad, if not worse than Greece. Beaches have been allowed to slip into private control and restricted access for generations.
@@carbonwarrioryup beach in Rimini theres literally hundreds of umbrellas/lawnchairs stacked next to each other, no personal space, same in Monterosso at Cinque Terre, beauty of the beach destroyed by all the stacked umbrellas, was incredible to see
Italy is worse than Greece
@@carbonwarrior Italy has also been invaded by the cruise ships that’s the real problem.
Wtf, half of Italy is full with sunbeds. To find good spots you can only go very south or sicilia. Italia totally lost controll over beaches. In the Gulf of Genua you can only enter beaches via club houses and then ppl ask in bad voice what you do here, even there are small public spaces left. Hope Greece never becomes Italy in that way! Kalimera
My local beach in Spain doesn't allow any of these beach loungers at all. People bring their own chairs/loungers, but commercial loungers are banned.
In Calabria Italy. Municipal/ taxpayer owned property is being taken by private land barons by old laws in the books. It allows allow farmers/landbarons to own it after so many years of "maintaining it". Much if it along the shoreline in the town I have gone to for years. The land barons will then offer to sell it back to restaurant owners affected who are losing cusomer parking spaces near their leased restaurants. Shamefull.
People need to start stacking those lounge chairs up and setting them to the side, and if you’re confronted about it just extend your arm in the direction of this person and then extend your middle finger. It’s a public place, legally they can’t do anything.
Corrupt local officials are responsible at ground level and then goes up the line of authority
Encountered this same issue when I visited a beach in Las Palmas, Canary Islands. Barely anywhere to lay down, all the space taken up by beach chairs at a price. The rest of beach was overrun with people trying to occupy what was left.
After an hour, I left hopped on a bus to return to my hotel. But on the way spotted a fenced off beach, pre-development. Spent the rest of the day there snorkelling and relaxing, until a security guard came and politely asked the few of us there to leave.
I dont remember this in Greece, I remember this from Italy. The apartment which we borrowed advertised itself as giving a sunchair for the rent on the beach, which was indeed there, but we never actually used it. The whole beach looked horrible BTW, kilometer long rows of sunchairs till you can see it.
Greece and Italy are basically the same country.
@@temper44 No, they are not.
Naxos is such a beautiful island! I was there a few times on vacation 25 years ago, so beautiful beaches and clean water. It was an insider tip with not that many tourists around. We stayed in a little pension in Agia Ana and had a wonderful time. We stayed on the beach with just towels and no umbrella and last during the summer heat for hours, not just five minutes. It's such a shame, what's happening there. I hope the Greek government will intervene and forbid such businesses. Beaches should be free for everyone.
If the government is weak and sycophantic to purely capitalistic interests, businesses will take advantage. If these bosses are breaking laws they should be arrested, the beaches belong to the people.
Get this, imagin bringing your own umbrella/shade... Most other countries do this.
I am not from your country... the beaches schould be free.... it is a shame for the locas. I would sign for the locas to get their beach back.... earth is from everyone for everyone! Maybe the locas should all lie down in between all of this, like this is also my space....not paying for anything 😊
Ah the joy of living by the beach in the Northwest of England. Miles of beach and wildlife and no tourists well only one or two. See there are good points to our unpredictable weather 😊
every greek i've spoken to brings up the maffia in greece.
God knows thats whose running the us and canada and the uk so everywhere? maybe?
tell that to Albania, visited summer 2023, most of the nice beaches now are PRIVATE, and they charge you 30 EUR, wanna bring your own towel etc.... NOT allowed. I am now booking more and more trips to places outside europe.
travel off season and you'll have more available space
Life is a beach ⛱️ 😃.
The views on this video is understandable, the world loves Greeks.
I have been a tourist there. Please share these businesses name that are attempting to push out Greek people i do not want to give my money to businesses who attempt to push out local people
This happens everywhere there is an investment. In my city in Mexico, the hotels blocked off the access to our beach and us locals just cross through their business without caring even thought they.
Greece's beaches are amazing. Why does the gov't gather the mass crowd at one beach although there are tens of million beaches!!!
There is place for everyone, but the main subject is the application of the law. Take your own chair, tent, umbrella and mat / towel, don't pay.
Same problem with backwater thailand. Nice to hear that other countries have this problem too
In thailand sometimes beach mafia kick the tourist if sit near their shade😂
That's shocking the unscrupulous are being allowed to do this. They are out of order. They don't have a right to do this.
I hope they win, this is crazy, there should be room for everyone, but then tourist do get very greedy and very up themselves thinking they own everything just because they bought an airline ticket and rented hotel space. If I went there I would rather roam the hills and surrounding area, personally I’m not a fan of the beach, just way too many people there.
It's sad to see greece has same problem like turkey has. Now looks like they only ask for 20 to 50 euro but if this people can't stop they will start to ask even 100 or more. Also they can put fences on the sides and no one can get closer.
Here in the US that's the problem with rivers. You can't access them bc the land around them is privatized. It's especially bad in Texas. You can just look at the river or pay someone on private land to access the river.
The same is happening in Cyprus, the area they leave on the beach for the public is no wider than three meters before another sun lounger business places their beds next to you and beach bars have their table and chairs behind you. They do lose their licence, but the next person does the same thing, its a never ending story. It's a shame that families can't enjoy a day at the beach without spening at least 40 euro just for a spot to sit. We resorted to traveling outside Limassol to go to the beach. Its free, less stressful and alot cleaner.
They just need a one legal place with parasols, and the excessive fines for the ones that are trying to expand it beyond limits. That current prosecution is clearly not enough and should be toughen dramatically. Though I'm pretty sure that the local government benefits from this illegal activity in some way, so they are trying to turn a blind eye on it as long as they can.
dominican republic is like that. beaches used to be open. when i came back it was overdeveloped, there wasn't even sand to walk in. everything staked out by restaurants
Why do people keep renting them? I never bothered with them; heck, I don't even bother finding a spot; when I go to the beach in Greece or wherever I just go into the water, and retreat when I'm done swimming 😅
Because it’s hot AF?
Thanks, y-you too! @@GutterFlower-t2u
Never been to Greece but the same problem is in my country. I live by the sea but all Summer the beaches are crowded with umbrellas and chairs, you can't go for free like in my childhood. But I was planning a holiday to Greece. I realize now that I have to add 20-50 euro a day to spending if I want to go to the beach, a huge amount.
All beaches in Greece are public property. Citizens only wanted that the government enforce the current laws.
There's plenty of free space for any beachgoer who doesn't want to sit at beach bars. Can confirm this in my area.
The pressure that the citizen gave to the government actually worked. There are now frequent inspections. Many beach bars owners got either fined, got jail time or had to close. For example, one beach bar in my area, that worked for 5 years, never had a permission. It was forced to close, and the owner got jailed.
The government will also now equip (for next summer season) local authorities all over Greece with drones, latest satellite images (of the beaches), and the "floorplan" of each beach bar to be publicly available (over internet & physically at beach bars). So they can check at any time illegal beach "acquisition" by beach bar owners.
What you need to do is take a nighttime walk on the beach and set fire to all the encroaching equipment.
Yes yes multiple nighttime walks on the those public beaches for the public.
And covertly secretively set fire to all those blatantly illegal encroaching beach equipment.
The tosspot pisspoor operators will not call local law enforcement first off as they all will be punished on sight in public in full view off the public then named and shamed afterwards..
Take one .....or three ... home with you.
Love this! Or even better, toss into the sea since massive wildfire fire danger is real in Greece.
Somewhat poorly explained segment. Hard to understand what the precise circumstances are; Do the hotels claim the beach property and place sun chairs and umbrellas there in violation of the law, or what? It wasn't made clear, which made the context quite perplexing and confusing...
I’ve read elsewhere that on many islands, people will illegally build resorts. So I wouldn’t be surprised if people are payed off to get access to beaches and renting sun loungers.
Love Greece. Agreeing with the locals on this one.
If people want umbrellas then they can be rented( only the ones you stick in the ground yourself) not bought otherwise you end up with them being dumped.
Have been using towls and blankets for years
That's the way to do it, the idea of private beaches always made me uncomfortable, the beaches should be for everyone, period!
In Italy Puglia and Sardinia have regulations that require 60% of beaches to be free to access. But many other regions in Italy don't have a specific quota.
The government should post the following on bill boards hoisted along Beach entry sites; 《Beaches are a national property to remain free for the nation's citizens. Violators will be fined by Act "abc section xyz"》 The government should post Beach "Rangers" just as it posts Beach "Life Guards" to catch violators and issue infraction tickets to whomever they catch by recording their passport and ID details.
Imagine sitting on a beach all day for a holiday
Italy is the same. You have to pay for chair and umbrella everywhere 🙄
In Hawaii, all beaches are public even in front of big well known hotels. No sun loungers allowed on the beach!