These problems threaten not only the environment but the tourist industry as well. The Case of Hersonnissos The coastal town of Hersonissos, near the capital Irakleio and the celebrated ancient ruins at Knossos, has a local population of 5,000, but with the build-up of beach hotels it has 55,000 hotel beds. As tourists pour in, traffic puts the town center in gridlock. It's placeless, there's no sense of Greekness. Hotels have also usurped area beaches, putting up walls to mark off territory, despite the fact that all beaches in Greece are legally open to the public.
Locals say some beaches have more people than pebbles.
Lack of upkeep, improper sewage systems and garbage left by tourists are rapidly degrading and destroying the coasts. Sun, Sex and Sand The Cincinnati group, which launched its work in Hersonissos, is calling for immediate changes to current building codes, traffic patterns, waste disposal and beach management. Changing the type of tourists the town attracts is another goal. Crete needs to attract tourists who will respect the physical area. To find those types of tourists the Cincinnati group has suggested designating a Heritage Corridor through the island to protect its natural resources.