War in the wider region (particularly Syria), the specter of terrorism and the refugee flows that continue to be exported via Turkey through Greece have reportedly caused cruiseship operators to seek out alternatives for their 2016 itineraries.
Speaking from Miami, on the sidelines of the annual exhibition Sea Trade, Theodore Kontes, the president of the Greece-based Union of Cruise Ship Owners & Associated members (EEKFN), called for three main actions by the Greek government to ensure that sector isn’t negatively affected.
Kontes called for increased security at ports, airports and other high-tourist density areas; better management of the acute Mideast refugee crisis in Greece, not only in affected ports and islands, but throughout the country, and finally, a solution to the issue of costs for intra-EU cruises (all within EU ports of call and waters), such as high VAT taxes on all provisions and services.
