Greek islands quiet: Reservation cancellations on the rise

Due to seismic activity in the Aegean Sea, the streets of the Greek islands, which host millions of tourists every year, have fallen silent, and it is stated that reservations at tourism agencies have come to a standstill.

Uncertainty is growing due to the successive tremors, particularly on the island of Amorgos, which has become popular recently, and Santorini, one of the most visited tourism destinations in the world, and daily life is being negatively affected by this anxiety.

According to the Geodynamic Institute of Greece, some of the tremors in the Aegean Sea, where over 12 thousand earthquakes have occurred in recent weeks, have exceeded a magnitude of 5, and the earthquakes are being felt on surrounding islands as well, primarily in Amorgos and Santorini.

Already quieter during the winter season, Amorgos and Santorini have become even more silent due to the tremors, with some residents choosing not to leave their homes.

RESERVATIONS CANCELLED

In Santorini and Amorgos, where tourism is the primary source of income, hotel owners and operators are worried about the summer season, even though there is not much density during the winter months. While the increasing number of reservation cancellations in Santorini recently is negatively affecting the island's economy, authorities are working on certain incentives and support measures to ensure that tourism suffers the least possible damage from these developments.

The Greek islands had recently become particularly popular for Turkish tourists.

Last year, 1 million 153 thousand 727 passengers traveled to the Greek islands via 8 thousand 629 ship voyages departing from ports on the Aegean coast of Turkey.