ARTICLE OF THE C. CHRISTINA TETRADIS, VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE GREEK CHAMBER OF HOTELS (XE)
The 2021 tourist season has started with many hopes, but also many concerns. We see that there is a strong interest in Greek tourism from the international tourism market. Health is everyone’s first priority. The hotels have adapted to the new requirements of operation and implementation of the “Health Protocols in Tourism Enterprises” and have the Health First Certificate, issued by the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels.
Hotels ready for upgraded health protocols
As part of our commitment to the health, safety and well-being of our visitors, employees, partners and community, we closely monitor developments regarding coronavirus, with regular updates and guidance from the National Public Health Agency (NPA) and the Ministry of Health, as well as additional government and European organisations. The 2021 health protocols are upgraded so that with better knowledge of the pandemic, we can ensure better health conditions for all while offering an improved travel experience to our visitors.
The hotel industry, as last year, is ready to implement the upgraded health protocols, shielding the safety of tourists, employees and the communities of the destinations, along with the safe international image of our country. The credibility of our country in the field of “safe hospitality” is a bet we won in 2020, having created a significant legacy for this year, which is reflected in the preference of tourists and can make a difference this summer.
Aiming for a mini extension of this season
The climate is uncertain in terms of tourist traffic until July. May saw very few bookings and June is also at low levels, certainly lower than initially expected. At the moment hotels are only operating with special offers in order to make the destinations more attractive. Many hoteliers have postponed the opening without being sure when and if they will finally open, since the question is beginning to arise whether it is worth opening this year. We also expect to move with last minute bookings and offers.
We hope that we will manage to have a good four months from July to October, while the aim is to have a mini extension of this year’s season until November, as far as this is possible based on the tour operators’ schedules.
It is important that the epidemiological situation stabilizes and that we do not have the opening and closing of markets as we did last year, when in fact tourism stopped in mid-September. A prerequisite is to get out of the “red” of the epidemiological data, which is prohibitive for bookings.
The credibility of our country in the field of “safe hospitality” is a bet we won in 2020, having created a significant
a legacy for this year…
The acceleration of the national vaccination programme, together with individual responsibility for keeping the epidemiological situation of our country at low levels, is a prerequisite for the country to become “green”. It is necessary to maintain this epidemiological advantage over our competitors in tourism, because this is what will ultimately determine tourism. Greece should become epidemiologically “green” and remain a country of hospitality, but also a country of security. And this is everyone’s business.
The immediate goal of hotel businesses is survival and the long-term goal is balanced tourism development.
