Any trip to Athens, Greece would not be complete without a visit to the Acropolis, the purest remaining form of what the Greeks thought architecture should be. And yet, if you stopped by a few weeks ago, you might have been surprised to find large banners proclaiming support for a communist trade union adorning the Acropolis hill. These banners are the most visible and literal signs of the Greek debt crisis affecting the historic landmarks in the country, but they are not the ones doing the most damage. That honor goes to the drop in tourism that Greece has experienced since the beginning of the global recession and runs through the country’s fiscal problems to the present. More on how the debt crisis is affecting historical landmarks after the break.
Tourism to Greece account’s for 15% of the nation’s gross domestic product, and is the top earning sector in the country. Any dip in this income, even a minor one, has broad repercussions for the restoration and preservation of the historic structures in Greece. Less tourism means less money that sites like the Acropolis generate, and much of that money generated is put directly back into the building for repair and restoration.
