February marks the unofficial start to the tourist season on the Greek island of Santorini – when the first cruise ships should arrive and approach the Easter holidays.
But with thousands of earthquakes that have shaken the island since January, and the experts could not say when it would end, one cruise was already turned and there were fears that the most important industry of the island could face a difficult year.
“In the last two days we have seen a decline in reservations, but we hope it will be short -lived,” says Antonis Pagonis, president of the Greek Association of Hotelies.
But even if tourists do not decide to go elsewhere this year, hotels continue to face the possibility that they do not have enough staff to serve their guests, summer is coming.
Santorini – one of the most visited islands in Greece – relies greatly on seasonal workers from other parts of Greece and abroad, who help a permanent population of just over 15,000 to serve tens of thousands of tourists on the island every day in the top season.
However, the uncertainty of how shivering will affect tourist numbers forced some workers to examine their capabilities this summer.
“It’s not like I’m afraid of earthquakes – Santorini is always shaking,” says Manos, who spent the last five summers working as a bartender on the island.
His job is demanding, with crowds swelling during the top tourist season, but financial awards have always made him valuable. This year he is afraid that this will not be the case.
“I am worried that there will be no tourist enough. If the season is weak, I may not earn so much money or may not need me all summer. I can’t take that risk.”
Instead, Manos says he has taken over the job on the crit and that he will not return to Santorini this year.
And not only in the summer that the island requires temporary labor – now is the time when construction workers are needed to renovate the hotel on the eve of the summer.
This work stops for safety problems because of the earthquake, and the owners of the hotel – worried that workers will go somewhere else – push the government to continue paying most of their salaries until the job can start again.
“We have submitted a series of proposals to the Government to support the existing workforce on the island and those who want to work during the season,” says Mr. Pagonis.
He adds that the Government responded positively, but “it remains to be seen whether these measures will be implemented.”
While the Greek authorities responded quickly to the risks representing trembling – putting saving teams on Santorini and introduced an extraordinary state of expertitation – some in the tourist industry claim that it should be monitored by investing in the island infrastructure.
“The challenges will not go away after the earthquakes stop,” says Margarita Karamolegkou, who owns four hotels in Santorini.
“During the season, the island sees 70,000 workers and 160,000 visitors a day. While the state acted quickly in response to an earthquake, we have long sought improvements like a new port.”
There are also calls to stricter regulations on private reasons for rent, which may not meet the same safety standards as the island hotels.
Santorini accounts for about 2.5% of the gross domestic product of Greece (GDP), generating about 5.9 billion euros (4.9 billion) per year.
Although there has been no cancellation so far, hoteliers report a decline in reservations and professionals in the industry warn that if the situation remains a month, impact on companies may be strong.
During a visit to the island on Friday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis acknowledged the importance of protecting Santorini’s reputation, describing him as an “iconic tourist destination” and saying: “It is our duty to protect, preserve his reputation and ensure that 2025 is another great year for tourism.”
Mrs. Karamolegkou, whose four hotels employ 120 staff, admits the challenges and admits that if the trembling is continued for much longer, they may have to delay the opening of their hotels and companies. But it remains optimistic about the future of the most important industry of the island.
“We have been in this business for decades, acting at the highest level. I am convinced that even less staff will remain exceptional.”
