Greek Tourism Industry Remains Strong Amid The Crisis

Even as Greece deals with the potential ill-effects of a financial crisis, the Greek tourism industry appears to be unaffected. Last year, tourism generated around $32.7 billion for the country, which contributed over 17 percent to the GDP of the country.

The World Travel and Tourism Council indicated that the industry contributed around 9.4 percent of total employment in Greece. WTTC CEO and President David Scowsill said the industry is not experiencing any difficulties for the moment as Greece is among the popular destination for tourists in Europe.

While there are limitations on the amount Greek citizens can withdraw from ATMS, the Economy, Infrastructure, Shipping and Tourism Ministry indicated that there are no limitations when it comes to the use of foreign debit and credit cards.

Alternate Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura said tourists coming to Greece will not be affected by the financial crisis the country is currently experiencing. As the July 5 referendum approaches, a number of ATMs have started to run out of bills. If the citizens will vote against accepting the latest bailout deal, the country may leave the Eurozone.

A statement from the US embassy in Greece advised its citizens to avoid demonstrations ahead of the vote on Sunday.

Greek Tourism Industry Remains Strong - image credit: dailymail.co.uk

Amphitrion Holidays general manager Konstantinos Georgiadis said none of their clients have cancelled their trips to Greece, but some have asked about the situation in the country. For the moment, everyone is aware of the upcoming referendum on Sunday, and its business as usual for the Greek tourism industry, he added.

Since the country does not have a manufacturing industry, the Greek tourism industry is currently the main source of livelihood for a number of Greeks. This year is considered the best year for the Greek tourism industry, Georgiadis said. The industry is important for the survival of country, and a number of part-time jobs are available for young people during the summer period, he added.

A travel agent from Fairfax, Va., Helle Hamilton, said the number of bookings for Greece has increased, and there are no cancellations for the moment. Airlines and cruise ships have also continued to cater to tourists travelling to Greece. No travel alerts were issued by two major US-based airlines, Delta and American.

However, Morgan Durrant of Delta said they are closely monitoring developments in the country. The nonstop service of American from Philadelphia to Athens is seasonal and is set to end in the middle of October.

Jenna Arnold of American said the company is not changing its Athens schedule due to the financial crisis. One of the busiest carriers in Europe, British Airways, indicated that it is not expecting any immediate effects from the situation in Greece, Caroline Titmuss of British Airways said the company is committed in maintaining its flights to the country.

Cruise lines have not made any changes on their stops in Greece, which is good for the Greek tourism industry. Prestige Cruises spokesman Jason Lasecki said the company is not making any changes for the moment. The summer is considered a peak season for cruises along the isles of Greece.

Posted by James Fried on Wednesday July 01 2015, 11:14 AM EST. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0