Some places cling to their charm; Mykonos clings to its calculator. As summer edges closer, those dreamy Cycladic villas, once luxury Airbnbs for bored Scandinavians, suddenly come with a friendly “now 15% off!” sticker. Property managers stare at their spreadsheets like they’re looking for hidden punchlines. The booking numbers? Depressingly literal.
July and August used to mean only one thing: a heaving parade of Instagrammers, sunburned British families, and yachts parked like mismatched sneakers. This season, silence is the soundtrack, interrupted only by the flop-sweat of local investors. The so-called “LuxuryLiving” company, guardian of almost 200 luxury Airbnbs, joined the markdown parade early—slashing prices and cranking out foreign ad campaigns. The move reeked of desperation, but who could blame them? Post-Easter, the bottom fell out of demand, not just in Mykonos but plenty of other “It” spots pretending they’re not worried.
Unburdened by optimism, local voices sum up the mood: “Reservations aren’t meeting expectations.” In business lingo, this means “We’re screwed.” That’s not just a Greek tragedy—it’s global.
While Mykonos frets over empty sheets and ill-advised menu prices, the rest of the Mediterranean sharpens its knives. Turkey and Egypt hawk bargain packages, hoping to charm dreamers. Croatia and Albania cozy up to budget travelers, happy to keep sun and sea within pocket change. European wallets, battered by ominous economic news, close quickly. The “price-sensitive tourist,” once a myth, now rules the booking game.
And the kicker? Those rival destinations keep pouring money into upgrades—new hotels, flashier beaches, and enough Instagram-ready sunsets to give Santorini insomnia.
In classic Greek form, the official story still hopes for a comeback. The season, they remind anyone still listening, might last through October. “It’s early yet,” they say as if the tide will turn out of politeness. But this summer, Mykonos seems less like a paradise found and more like a lesson in what happens when an island believes its own hype.
Read the full story at OΤ.
