Hoteliers on a handful of eastern Aegean islands that have seen tourist arrivals plummet due to the refugee/migrant crisis that has plagued their isles are reportedly hoping for increased flows of holiday-makers from Turkey instead of a state subsidized program to attract Greek tourists.
The leftist Greek government’s response to a dramatic reduction in tourism arrivals for Lesvos, Samos, Chios, Leros and even the “all-inclusive-laden” Kos is to subsidize holidays for lower-income Greek tourists to the specific islands between Aug. 20 and Oct. 30.
The relevant development and tourism ministry said it would fund an advertizing campaign, domestically and abroad, as well as allocate subsidies to slash hotel rates by as much as 50 percent for Greek beneficiaries.
Nevertheless, the first indications show only a lukewarm response, with hoteliers’ representatives on the island charging that the program was announced too late to have an impact, as well as the fact that most households in the country are now looking forward to the school year and paying the first income tax and property tax notices.
A welcome development, however, is the fact that tourist arrivals from Turkey – via legal entry onto Greek territory – have picked up, and are expected to continue rising in September, which has several religious and national holidays on the calendar in the neighboring country.
