Tourism is enormously important for Greece generating approximately a third of its GDP. Given the swelling mass of tourists I have encountered in this visit Greece faces a potential overtourism problem that must be managed to avoid a negative boomerang. Given the inability of Athens Eleftherios Airport to manage passenger flow, one enters and leaves Greece with a sour taste in one’s mouth hardly a good base to encourage touristic loyalty.
Samos has a small airport and at its peak tourist season some 10 international and three domestic carriers. One may encounter overtourism in Samos evident in the town of Pythagorio a five-minute drive from Doryssa Seaside Resort. Once a quiet and charming town its port area is choked with tourists at its bars and restaurants. It’s big business with profits to be made and there is a hustle you atmosphere at many of the bars and restaurants attempting to reel you in. You know that “hostess” at the door beckoning you in and waving a menu in your face. It is a mob scene. Add on to this area buses disgorging cruise ship passengers. There is a bar at the corner of the main street heading down to the port area and its restaurants which after several years of wanting to sit there I finally did. In the space of 20 minutes four buses spewing their diesel fumes disgorged cruise ship passengers for “an authentic Greek island dining experience” or some other enticing phraseology the cruise line marketing people had dreamt up. They are funny these cruise ship mobs clinging together like seaweed to a rock often poorly dressed. Witnessing this I ask do I really want to be here? Not really.
My research indicated a restaurant Faros was somewhat out of the way and so it was at the far-left hand side of the port promenade. There were tables located on a deck overlooking the sea and a few tables on the beach. Quiet and no need to look or hear a mass of noisy people on the main part of the promenade. You felt a sense of serenity and peace. Dinner was good with Greek salad, grilled octopus and a half litre of house white. And as is customary in the more traditional restaurants a complimentary dessert. Tried to cut through side streets enroute to the car to avoid the seething mobs with some success.
