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1 of 4 The | Photo: Halvard Alvik / TT
Around two million people usually visit the Greek island of Santorini during the summer season. Now the future is uncertain for the many companies that depend on foreign tourists. Stock Photography.
With empty rooms and deserted beaches, uncertainty hangs over Europe’s tourist destinations. Will visitors return when virus restrictions are lowered?
– The question is whether people will want to travel even if the borders are opened, says a hotel manager from Mallorca.
The season had not even started when the Greek government ordered the closure of most of the hotels. Since then Panagiotis Loutos has dedicated his time to repairing his hotel in Santorini. The island of volcanoes is one of the most popular destinations in Greece and generally receives around two million tourists every summer.
But this year is nothing like it usually is.
“Painful”
Loutos has not experienced anything like it during his 20 years in the industry. Still, during the economic crisis that started in 2008, guests came. Now his hotel is deserted, pending a decision on whether Greece should open to tourists in July, which is the government’s ambition.
– We are in a very difficult situation and everyone on the island is very concerned about the future. The only thing we know is that we are ready to open soon, but it is not up to us to decide if it will be lost or when, Loutos tells TT by phone from Oía.
– People come from all over the world. And it is very painful to see how empty it is now.
Loss of income
The Corona pandemic not only threatens to deprive Santorini and other tourist magnets of income and jobs. It also risks sending Greece, whose tourism industry represents a fifth of the economy, to crisis. The severity of the situation depends on how the country is likely to attract tourists to the beaches this summer.
Louto’s staff is waiting to see if they will even have a job to return to. Anyway, the company has lost several important months.
– It is good if Greece opens for tourists. But it’s not enough. We still have to pay bills and survive the summer season for the rest of the year, he says.
– If tourists come in July, it will be a little less negative, but we will not get any benefit.
“Getting stronger”
In Spain, hotels can now open under severe restrictions. But not many people choose to do it because there are no customers anyway, according to Mats Jakobsson.
He is the manager of two hotels in Mallorca, which have been closed since mid-March when Spain requested an emergency that severely restricted the freedom of movement of the 47 million inhabitants. Until the end of June, staff are fired with 70 percent of the state-paid salary.
– It gets harder and harder with each passing day without us being able to stay open. That is for everyone. How long can the state bear all personnel costs? Mats Jakobsson says by phone from Palma de Mallorca.
– In Mallorca, about 80 percent of tourism lives. This is a disaster for all the Balearic Islands.
Spanish borders remain closed despite the country gradually starting to ease virus restrictions. But Jakobsson believes that it will be several months before any foreign visitor is admitted to the country.
– I have a hard time seeing it happen before the end of July. But it depends on how things are in the different stages when Spain eases the restrictions and if there are any setbacks. It is impossible to do any planning, he says.
– We are also in the hands of European politicians. Around 80 percent of our visitors come from the UK, Germany and Scandinavia, so we are not only dependent on the decisions made here in Spain.
Decline Tracking
Concerns about the future, Jakobsson believes he shares with the vast majority of the industry. He believes he is waiting for a declining market, although tourism will soon be allowed to sneak in again.
– The big question is how willing are people to travel to another country, no matter where they live in the world. In addition, many are unemployed and in financial difficulties, he says.
– But at least we can at least enjoy the sun and 25 degrees of heat.
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