After a catastrophic year for tourism, the June figures for Greece were promising this year: by 2021, the country had 13 times more foreign visitors than the same month last year.
Before the ravages of the coronavirus, more than two million tourists a year came to the holiday island favorite Rhodes – by 2019 at the latest.
The pandemic summer last year shaved the number down to 600,000 guests. Only 30 percent of the hotel and restaurant industry was in operation.
The numbers were devastating for the island, where 80 percent of the population is somehow dependent on tourist traffic.
– Impossible to open
– Unthinkable numbers
When the brutal grip of the pandemic slowly but surely began to drop this year, and the temperature climbed, George Tselios thought the nightmare was a chapter in the past.
Guro (23) in the middle of the chaos: – Very dramatic
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He runs Blue Sea Resort in Rhodes. His place is very popular with British, German and Scandinavian tourists.
To Reuters tells Tselios that in the first two weeks of July he received 100 bookings a day.
– These were completely unthinkable figures compared to last year, says the Greek and points out that it began to approach “normal conditions”.
But with increased infection, the island was suddenly downgraded to the orange level on the Greek covid-19 map – just one level away from the introduction of curfews and other tough infection control measures.
Frustration: – Sells almost nothing
The uncertainty returned, and bookings halved to around 50 a day, according to the resort owner, who is despairing over the situation.
– You can only see two or three weeks ahead in time, max, Tselios says Reuters.
Travel giant marks red Crete
Communication consultant Adam Györki in the travel giant Tui says that it is usually noticed on the bookings when higher infection is reported.
– Then we see that Norwegians who travel abroad choose other destinations, he says.
But that does not apply to Rhodes.
– We see that both the interest and the orders to Rhodes have picked up. Sales have doubled this week, compared to last week, says communications consultant Nora Aspengren in the same company to Børsen.
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She says it is difficult to say what caused it. But that a dark red Crete can be a factor.
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– We have noticed the effects of Crete turning dark red. This means that other places in Greece are experiencing a boom in bookings, says colleague Györki.
– Many long for away
Another travel company, Ving, began sending Norwegian tourists to Rhodes on 18 July.
– So far we have not noticed any change in the bookings, neither when it comes to cancellations or rebookings. We see that many long to get away and look forward to a long-awaited holiday, says press contact in Ving, Anna Hagberg, to Børsen.
The upcoming departures to Rhodes are approaching full, she says.
– The pressure has generally been a bit hesitant this summer, but since more people have now been vaccinated, we also see that orders are increasing.
“Catastrophic” holiday numbers: – An economic tragedy
Around the start of school, the booking pressure will go down, before it picks up speed again in September, according to Hagberg.
– The autumn holidays in October are already well booked, she says.
– Impossible to make forecast
This season The tourism industry and the authorities in Rhodes have estimated that they will be back at least half of the old level – between 1.0 and 1.2 million guests, with 80 percent of the hotel capacity up again.
There are many indications that tourists are hesitant, as August bookings are lagging, writes Reuters. According to Greek authorities, it is highly uncertain how the summer will develop.
– For the first time in a few years, it is not possible to make a final forecast for tourism revenues this year, said Yannis Retsos in the tourism organization SETE last week.
Crisis start for the season: – Was a wreck
Greece received 33 million tourists in the record year 2019, and the country’s total tourist revenue was 189 billion kroner the same year, according to Reuters.
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The Bank of Greece has estimated that tourism revenues this year will end up at around 40 percent of this.
Hotel owner in Rhodes and board member of the Greek Hotel Association, Ioannis Hatzis, believes that the goal can be achieved, even if demand falls in the future.
– This is the summer for patience, he says.
Grigoris Tasios, president of the same federation, is also optimistic.
– We are doing much better than last year, he says.
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