Santorini Dar Island for Summer Tourist Season as Earthquake

The tourist season is an informal beginning in the Greek island of Santorini in February – when the first cruise ships are due to the approach to the arrival and Easter holidays.

But thousands of earthquakes shook the island from January and experts are unable to say when they will end, a cruise has already gone away and there is a possibility that the most important industry of the island may face a difficult year. Is.

“In the last two days, we have seen a decline in booking, but we hope it will be short -lived,” called Antonis Paganis, president of the Greece Association of Hotel Businessman.

But even if tourists do not choose to go somewhere else this year, hotels still face the possibility of their guests not having enough employees to come in summer.

Santorini – One of the most viewed islands in Greece depends a lot on seasonal workers in Greece and other parts of abroad, which is more than 15,000 for serving tens of tens on the island every day in the peak season. Help permanent population.

But the uncertainty of how shocks will affect the number of tourists, forcing some workers to rethink their options in this summer.

“It’s not that I am afraid of earthquake – Centorini always moves,” says Manos, who has spent the last five summer working as a bartender on the island.

During the peak tourist season, there is a demand for their job swelling with congestion, but the financial awards have always made it worthwhile. This year they are afraid that this will not happen.

“I worry that there will not be enough tourists. If the weather is weak, I cannot earn so much money, or they may not need me for full heat. I cannot take that risk.”

Instead, Manos says that he has done a job in Korfu and will return to Santorini this year.

And it is not only in summer that the island requires a temporary workforce – now is the time when construction workers need to renew hotels before summer.

In that work there is a stop due to security concerns over earthquakes, and hotel owners – worried that workers will go somewhere else – the government is insisting on continuing to pay most of their salary until the work is resumed. It is possible

“We have presented a series of proposals to the government to support the existing task force on the island and both working during the season,” says Sri Pagonis.

He says that the government has given positive answers, but “it remains to be seen whether these measures will be implemented”.

While Greek authorities have been quickly done to respond to the risks generated by shock – to present emergency situation for keeping rescue teams and assisting on Santorini – some in the tourism industry argue that with investment in the basic structure of the island It needs to be followed.

“The challenges will not disappear after the earthquake stops,” says Margita Karmolegkou, owner of four hotels in Santorini.

“During the season, the island looks at 70,000 workers and 160,000 visitors per day. While the state has worked quickly in response to the earthquake, we have long been asking for a new port -like improvement.”

There are also calls for strict rules on private fare properties, which cannot meet the same security standards as island hotels.

The GDP (GDP) of Centorini Greece is about 2.5%, which produces an estimated estimated € 5.9BN (£ 4.9bn) annually.

Although no cancellation has been done so far, hotelier businessmen are reporting a decline in booking and industry professionals have warned that if the situation persists for another month, the impact on businesses can be serious.

During a visit to the island on Friday, Prime Minister Kiriyakos Mitsotakis accepted the importance of protecting Santorini’s reputation, described it as a “prestigious tourist destination” and said: “It is our duty to protect it. , Protect your reputation, and ensure that 2025 is another excellent year for tourism.

Ms. Karmolegco, whose four hotels appoint 120 employees, accept challenges and accept that if the shocks continue for a long time, she may have to delay opening their hotels and businesses. But she remains optimistic about the future of the island’s most important industry.

“We have been in this business for decades, working at the highest level. I am confident that even with fewer employees, our services will be extraordinary.”