Tourism in Greece Remains Steady During Debt Crisis
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Version 0 of 1. With Greece reeling over fears of default and the weeklong closure of its major banks and stock market, travelers are likely wondering how these major financial disruptions will affect their ability to use currency throughout the country. While native Greeks are currently limited to daily A.T.M. withdrawals of 60 euros per account, tourists do not face similar restrictions. (However, many A.T.M.s have been running out of money, forcing people to try other machines, which have been plagued by long lines.) Credit and debit cards issued by foreign banks are being accepted throughout the country without any additional regulations. The Ministry for Economy, Infrastructure, Shipping and Tourism, a Greek governmental department, released a statement on Monday saying, “The Ministry does not anticipate any disruptions in visitors’ everyday holiday experience, neither in the islands nor in mainland Greece, as there are adequate fuel supplies, products and services.” Menelaos Karvounidis, an American Express Travel destination expert who specializes in Greek tourism, said the country’s cash flow problems have not deterred tourists who are there or decreased interest in the country. “Things have been pretty calm and no one has canceled,” Mr. Karvounidis said. “I would recommend that people go on their trips.” Christos Stergiou, the founder of TrueGreece, a Greek luxury travel company, said that his organization is trying to provide the most updated information to travelers. He said that current visitors are “having a blast” and “have been completely unaffected by recent economic developments.” However, Mr. Stergiou still asks that travelers take some extra precautions. “When arriving in Greece, we recommend that guests have an appropriate cash balance in euros already with them,” he said. “We recommend maintaining extra cash on reserve in addition to what you would normally expect to spend.” Mr. Stergiou also said that visitors should try to use their credit cards as their main payment method. “Most service providers should continue accepting credit cards; therefore, cash can be preserved for those that do not.” Ronnie Liadis, owner of Liadis Travel, said that despite initial concerns about accessing money, no one who booked a vacation through her company has run into any problems. “I have clients in Santorini, Crete and Athens, and the only issue I have heard was long lines for gasoline in Crete,” she said. “This has been one of the busiest summers for tourism in Greece because of the value of the United States dollar,” she added. “Of all my clients traveling to the country in July, August and September, none have called and said they wanted to cancel.” (The euro is currently $1.11 against the dollar.) Ms. Liadis said that while American travelers may not be sure what to expect, the country will be ready for them. “The people who work in the hotels and restaurants in Greece know how important tourism is, and they’re really bending over backwards to make visitors feel welcome and protected,” she said. |