Greece has started collecting a tax on cruise ships visiting its islands. This is the latest European measure to tackle the growing number of tourists in the continent's most popular destinations.

Cruise ships docking at the popular islands of Santorini and Mykonos will pay €20 per passenger starting today.

“In accordance with the law, the tax will apply in Santorini, Mykonos and other islands to a lesser extent,” the Greek Ministry of Finance told AFP.

Cruise ships docking at smaller islands will pay a fee of €5 per passenger under the new regulations.

Greece passed the legislation, which applies during the summer season, last year in an attempt to limit the growing number of tourists in its most popular destinations, becoming the latest country in Europe to take such measures.

Italian authorities in Venice, one of the world's most visited tourist destinations, introduced a tax last year for day visitors, who must pay a €5 access fee on certain days.

In Spain, the government has taken measures against illegal short-term rentals of tourist properties, with sites such as Airbnb and Booking.com being forced to remove thousands of listings amid local concerns about increasingly scarce and unaffordable housing.

The hugely popular island of Ibiza began restricting the number of tourist cars and caravans entering the island in June due to the growing number of visitors.

Local residents in Barcelona and other parts of Spain, the world's second most visited country, have staged protests against excessive tourism. | BGNES