Some years ago I was mildly invested in the idea of finding 'strong dollar destinations' (locations where due to exchange rates and other economic factors the US Dollar was very performant), and using this research to weight vacation decisions that my wife and I made.
I recall that Greece was one of these locations. (Unfortunately we haven't been there yet.)
Can anyone here shed some more light on the friendliness of the locals in Greece towards (relatively) monied western vacationers? In other words, are people generally happy to welcome visitors, or are the visitors viewed as part of the problem (via, e.g. AirBnB driving up local housing costs, etc)? I know that a lot of how you're received anywhere depends on how you act, so assume that the visitor is a well-behaved westerner whom is interested in embracing the local culture and customs.
The ignorance of this thread. You are making it sound like you are going to a another planet and want to know if the local aliens are hostile or not.
Greece is a developed western country, and has a large amount of tourists, millions of them every year, and a very developed tourist industry (one of the most developed per capita in the world) and has been doing it for decades, and is happy to take your money, and doesn't care where some of the snowflakes are coming from.
I personally didn't like Athens that much, but the islands are great to visit. The whole region (from Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, and all the way to Italy) is a blast to visit.
If you've read the news recently, you'd know that in many parts of Spain, tourists are being harassed because the locals have grown tired of the endless masses of people being shipped in. In essence it's a signal to the local government that the issue is not properly managed and that the locals will seek means to push their hand if they don't address it themselves. There are numerous examples of problems, from traffic congestion, low to no living space availability, etc. So in that sense, the question raised by this comment thread is very relevant and indeed something everyone should check these days before travelling — it doesn't matter if you're going to a developed country, you might not be welcome.
Every island is different also cultural wise. People are generally very friendly and tourism is an important revenue for many. Just go and you will be welcomed if you adapt to their normal.
I've visited the areas outside of the major metro areas (Athens, Thessaloniki) and found the vast majority of Greeks to be very friendly and family oriented. It really is a break from the American way -- you don't check a website, you ask someone or call someone. The boat is late, maybe call the captain's wife?
There's lots of real estate to rehab in all the smaller towns and even the tourist towns too. Book your flights already!
I would not worry at all about not speaking Greek. Most Greeks speak English at a very high proficiency. It's a tourist nation, English is the language of tourists. Also, media here is consumed in the native language with subtitles.
"Education First’s 2023 English Proficiency Index (EPI) ranks 113 countries by their English skills. Greece, with an impressive score of 602, ranks 12th globally and 10th in Europe, highlighting its robust “English as a Second Language’ proficiency and comprehensive approach to language education." [0]
You’ll have no problem whatsoever. People in Greece are generally friendly, polite and helpful, especially to most westerners. Being a mix of balkans, Eastern Europeans and with a special temperament you can feel that many Greeks have different views for specific countries ;-)
Athens is a bit different and it’s almost like a different county (I’m not living in Athens). Like most capitals and big cities around the world, people are more hectic, life is going faster and relationships along with friendliness are different.
There are many other cities and islands where the quality of life is better. Give it a try and you won’t be disappointed.
Does the video even answer OP's question? Skimming the topics list, it doesn't seem like any would answer OP's question of "are people generally happy to welcome visitors, or are the visitors viewed as part of the problem (via, e.g. AirBnB driving up local housing costs, etc)?"
00:00 - Introduction: Must-Know Tips for First-Time Travelers to Greece
0:32 - Tip #1: Prepare for the Summer Heat - Stay Safe Under the Sun
1:20 - Tip #2: Proper Footwear for Visiting Archaeological Sites
3:07 - Tip #3: Navigating Greek Roads - Driving Tips for Tourists
4:07 - Tip #4: Shop Hours - What to Expect During Midday Closures
5:44 - Tip #5: Toilet Etiquette - Don’t Throw Toilet Paper in the Toilet
6:06 - Tip #6: Drinking Water - Stick to Bottled Water on the Islands
6:55 - Tip #7: Personal Space - Understanding Greek Social Norms
8:47 - Tip #8: Explore Greek Cuisine - Go Beyond the Basics
15:03 - Tip #9: Pack Smart - Tips for Handling Luggage on Greek Islands
16:45 - Tip #10: Be Prepared for Strikes - Stay Informed During Your Visit
Yes, they are friendly. It's part of the culture since ancient times -- xenophilos I believe they call it.
It came from the ancient religion, where the Gods would impersonate humans and stay at lodgings. If people were inhospitable, the Gods would curse them.
I forgot to mention though, there are those that are hostile but mainly just in the way of anarchist / commie / antifacist politics, which seems to be fairly common based on how much graffiti I saw (then again, it could just be a loud minority.) You'll see stuff like "immigrants welcome, tourists fuck off" and anti airbnb graffiti. But it's harmless, and didn't detect any of it when talking with real people.
While it seems that I may have triggered some extremely negative sentiment here with my honest question, I appreciate the responses that didn't assume I think Greek people are aliens or serfs. I'm quite ignorant of the on-the-ground realities of Greek life (having not visited yet), but I've read enough to understand that the economic conditions haven't been great there for some time now. Therefore, I think it appropriate to question how outsiders might be received under the current conditions. I apologize if this wasn't clear from my original question. Another commenter was correct in identifying the news regarding local hostilities in some regions towards tourists whom are viewed to be part of the problem and therefore met with hostility.
OMG? Is this comment serious? Greece is in Europe, planet earth and not a desolated land on Mars! Greeks are of Mediterranean culture, mainly open and friendly. They deal with tourists from all over the world since maaaaaaany years and they know the business. I believe that the most difficult part can be the language, as generally speaking - don't know why - in Greece not many people speak fluently English (also in Italy we have the same problem!!).
Other that that, great sea, great food, great great ancient culture and history to discover, nice and bubbly people. Book your tickets and don't be afraid! And yes, greek people have two arms, two legs, two eyes and they are not little green pale creatures!! J/k, enjoy your time there, and welcome to Europe!
This comment is warranted. Dude thinks he's a king and is wondering if the peasants will harass him. No one's going to give a shit. It is for sure a strange comment.
It seems from a sibling comment that I'm totally wrong when I state that speaking English in Greece may be difficult.
I stated that based on my personal perception only, so probably I'm wrong. Sorry for the misinformation.
I live in a city, not in Greece, that has banned AirBnB, but as far I know nobody cares whether you're a visitor or not. We attribute our economic problems to the locals, particularly to people who've aggressively tried to capitalize on visitors, at the cost of other residents, rather than the visitors themselves.
As much as I like AirBnB, I'm a proponent of restricting it to your primary residence within city limits, and to one secondary unit within a larger jurisdiction if you've already owned it for some period of time. As in, rent out another bedroom if you like, ideally temporarily, and the cabin you rarely use, but you can't be buying units to just list right away for visitors.
I recall that Greece was one of these locations. (Unfortunately we haven't been there yet.)
Can anyone here shed some more light on the friendliness of the locals in Greece towards (relatively) monied western vacationers? In other words, are people generally happy to welcome visitors, or are the visitors viewed as part of the problem (via, e.g. AirBnB driving up local housing costs, etc)? I know that a lot of how you're received anywhere depends on how you act, so assume that the visitor is a well-behaved westerner whom is interested in embracing the local culture and customs.