Tourism flows across the Eastern Aegean islands, which bore the brunt of the refugee crisis, have begun to pick up pace, according to sector professionals.
Greece will request that the European Commission re-examine its decision to prohibit visa clearance at Eastern Aegean island ports through a pilot program.
Despite promising arrival figures to Greece, tourists are not digging into their pockets, according to Bank of Greece data release on Tuesday, indicating a 3.5 percent drop in travel receipts, down by 100 million euros, for July compared to the same month in 2015.
Hoteliers across the Eastern Aegean islands, bearing the brunt of the ongoing refugee influx for over a year, are calling on the Greek government to suspend all of their debts due to a sharp decline in tourism.
In efforts to stimulate tourism to the Eastern Aegean islands hit by the refugee influx the Greek tourism ministry has announced yet another series of incentives including friendlier prices at hotels.
The hotel associations of Samos, Lesvos, Chios, Kos and Leros are joining the Tourism Ministry's efforts to boost domestic tourism and are offering Greek travellers special discounts on room prices and accommodation packages.
Lesvos sector professionals are seeing their efforts die out as the ongoing refugee influx has taken a toll on local tourism, with June figures down by 67.89 percent,
The possibilities of supporting the tourism side of Lesvos through the UNESCO network were explored on Tuesday during a meeting held at the Tourism Ministry in Athens.
The Hellenic Chamber of Hotels honored the Greek hotel association’s that were first to sign the “Greek Breakfast” local quality pact and this way promote the country’s gastronomy through their hotel members and contribute to the enrichment of Greece’s tourism product.
Crete, Rodos and Lesvos will represent Greece at this year’s Reiselivsmessen travel trade exhibition at the Telenor Arena in Oslo, Norway. The trade show will take place 11-13 January.
The Lesvos Hoteliers Association invites local entrepreneurs to attend the "Greek Breakfast of Lesvos" event scheduled for today, Sunday, 30 December, at the Chamber of Lesvos.
