Athens
Greece has launched a free seven-day holiday programme for the tourists who fled Rhodes due to deadly wildfires in July 2023.
Over 25,000 tourists, mainly from Britain, who were evacuated from their hotels during the fires, are eligible for the latest compensation scheme by the government.
Under this initiative, those particular individuals can avail their e-vouchers worth 536.58 USD (€500).
The vouchers can be used to cover the cost of accommodation for a week-long stay in the country.
The programme is set to be executed in two phases, i.e. an initial phase that will run till May 31 starting from now, and a second phase that will run until Nov 15 starting from Oct 1.
“The scheme is up and running as the prime minister promised,” the Greek tourism ministry’s general secretary, Myron Flouris, told the Guardian. “It’s been a very complicated process not least, I think, because we’re the first country in the world to do this.”
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Over 5,000 travellers have already signed up for this programme, as per reports.
“Anyone who was staying in areas that were affected by the fires is eligible,” said Yannis Papavasiliou, the head of the island’s union of hoteliers.
“The response has been very good and we are told will be even stronger come the autumn,” he said.
“It will apply only to hotels, not Airbnb-style private accommodation. At the end of the day, Greece is making good on its promise to recompense all those who lost their holidays because of climate change,” he added.
Last year in the month of August, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced that the tourists who were forced to escape the island due to the wildfires would be given a free one-week holiday.
Speaking on a British morning show, Mitsotakis said the tourists could take up the offer in the spring or autumn of 2024.
“For all those whose holiday was cut short as a result of wildfires, the Greek government in cooperation with local authorities will offer one week of free holidays on Rhodes next spring, the next fall, so that we make sure they come back to the island and enjoy its natural beauty," Mitsotakis said.
"Not a single human life was lost in Rhodes, and no injuries were reported... We understand that guests have been inconvenienced, but I am happy to tell you that Rhodes is more welcoming than ever. The island is back to normal."
Local people as well as tourists were forced to flee their homes and hotels during the wildfires that ravaged the island in July 2023.
As many as 20,000 tourists were rescued from danger in what was the largest evacuation undertaken by the country.
Greece, whose economy has been heavily battered over the past decade, relies heavily on tourism to generate revenue. Rhodes, the ninth-largest island in the eastern Mediterranean, is a popular holiday spot and Mitsotakis wants tourism to quickly return to previous levels.
(With inputs from agencies)