Tax inspectors find violations on nearly half of Santorini tour boats

Greek tax inspectors uncovered widespread irregularities among tour boats operating from Santorini, finding undeclared transactions worth €92,000 and issuing €43,000 in fines after an unannounced inspection sweep.

The checks were carried out by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) during a campaign the agency named "I'll take you on a cruise 2026", with controls focused on the port of Vlichada and other anchoring points around the island.

Nearly half of vessels found non‑compliant

Inspectors examined 26 vessels in total and identified tax violations on 12 of them — a non‑compliance rate of 46 percent. Detected offenses included failing to issue fiscal receipts or providing incorrect receipts, refusing or failing to present requested documentation, accepting cash payments above the €500 legal limit, and applying a lower VAT rate than required.

The transactions linked to the discovered breaches totalled €92,000, AADE said, and the authority imposed penalties amounting to €43,000. AADE added it will proceed with detailed audits of the companies involved and, where necessary, extend controls to previous tax periods.

"The operation was aimed at verifying the correct issuance of receipts, the correct application of VAT rates, the method of payment of transactions, as well as the maintenance and presentation of mandatory fiscal documentation," they said.

Santorini, one of Greece's most visited islands, has long been under scrutiny over compliance with tax rules in the tourism sector; AADE described the campaign as part of wider efforts to curb tax evasion in highly seasonal tourist destinations.

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