Greek officials: no better time to visit
Despite all of Greece’s problems, and various dire warnings, there has never been a better time to visit. Or so say some tourism officials such as Andreas Andreadis, president of SETE, Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises.
"We are trying to change the way our country and its economy is run, however, this is not going to affect the quality of a holiday," he said.
He pointed out that Greece remains one of the top destinations in the world "and we reassure holiday makers that this summer remains business as usual," he said.
He added that it was important to keep in mind that the country was preparing for national elections and this is normally a time characterized by tranquility with little chance of strikes and potential labor disruptions.
Greece’s tourism season was supposed to be a ray of sunshine amid the country’s political crisis and depressed economy.
The country’s position has led to a lot of sympathy. And there are a lot of cheerleaders.
Time Magazine took the unusual position of urging Americans to go there.
"What Can You Do To Help Greece? Go There!" the magazine said in urging tourists to help Greeks repay debt and interest rates.
Unfortunately, the tourist outlook is "cloudy," says the Wall Street Journal.
Bookings in May for summer vacations are down by about one-third compared with the same time last year, according to tourism officials.
Early reservations for this summer’s tourist season are down by around 15 percent from a year ago. Last year’s record total of 16.4 million visitors is already out of reach, say tourism officials
Tourism officials say tourists will be able to lock in the best exchange rate since 2008.
Greece could be an even bigger bargain if it adopts a new currency. Tour operators hope to renegotiate to the new, cheaper currency if Greece drops the euro, reports the LA Times.
By David Wilkening
David
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