Tourism: With an eye to Germany – Anxiety and expectations

Greek tourism is focusing on the Chancellery at Berlin since it has begun to record increased arrivals from Great Britain – yesterday July 27 , the first big wave from Tui Britain and Jet Tours was expected in Crete – issues are now centering on Germany’s decisions.

If something changes for the worse with Germany we are destroyed, is the message sent by Greek hoteliers from all destinations in the country.

It is noted that in the last few hours the German media have been reporting that the German Ministry of Health is planning to introduce a mandatory negative coronavirus test for all those returning from any country to Germany, whether they have been vaccinated or not.

Also as of yesterday, Berlin characterized Spain and the Netherlands as “areas with an excessive number of cases” due to the vertical increase of new cases of the pandemic. In other words, anyone who returns from these areas to Germany and is not fully vaccinated or has not recovered from coronavirus must enter a ten-day quarantine, which he can limit to five days with a negative test.

Thus, the concern among the players in Greek tourism intensifies while at the same time the hoteliers record increased occupancy throughout almost the whole country.

In Crete, as mentioned, with the area of ​​Chania being an exception to some extent, where there seems to be a lag of Scandinavian tourists, due to the protection measures taken by the countries of the region, the occupancy exceeds 70% and as pointed out by Mr. Nikos Chalkiadakis president of the Hotel Owners Association of Heraklion, unless something untoward happens, this year Crete will reach the target for 60% of the arrivals and revenues of 2019.

All this, of course, as long as there is no problem with the Germans, which is why it is important to increase the rate of vaccination in the country. In any case, the next four weeks are the most crucial, as the Minister of Tourism, Haris Theocharis, said in his intervention in the first program of the state radio.

Increased occupancy in Attica as well

The good showing of July and August is reflected in the region of Attica where for example in luxury complexes such as Cape Sounio the occupancy is at the levels of 2019 and a little higher, as per available data, but based on the reduced capacity due to pandemic.

Occupancy is at 90% of the new reduced capacity, the CEO of Pyramis Hotels Mr. Alkis Panagopoulos, who controls the beach hotel Ever Eden reported to ot.gr . Of the total capacity of the unit occupancy reaches 70%, he added

According to Mr. Panagopoulos and other colleagues, there is an increased demand from Greeks who, in the context of protection measures against the coronavirus, want to avoid ships and planes and choose to vacation in Attica, either on the Athenian Riviera or in Eastern Attica.

In the same vein are the estimates of Mr. Eugenios Vasilikos, general secretary of the Athens Hotel Association of Attica and Argosaronikos, who notes that a mobility is recorded in specific areas such as the coastal area and the center of Athens. Direct flights from the USA have also helped in this

However, he emphasized that we are very far from the numbers of 2019, while regarding the results of the hotels, it will be a miracle, he adds “if we get the numbers of 2020” where the market had started with three very good months at the beginning of the year.

A lot will depend on how September will move, for which now there is no picture as the whole market is “last minute”, he added.

As noted by a player in the hotel market who wants to remain anonymous at the moment, Athens is running at 50% of 2019 but this concerns the month-by-month comparison (ie July and August). Throughout the year the market is much lower and much will depend on how the coming months go. As we do not have much to expect , he adds, as schools open across Europe in September, the conference market has not fully returned, so, as he suggests, the picture will not be particularly auspicious.