Months before the harvest began in November, Greek olive oil farmer Michalis Antonopoulos knew it would not be a good year. First, his trees did not fully blossom because last winter was not cold and wet enough. In the spring, temperatures soared to 38 degrees Celsius (100 Fahrenheit), damaging the flowers that were to grow into olives. Then the summer brought the worst heat wave in decades, drying up the olives and setting off wildfires that torched hundreds of thousands of trees. Standing in his grove in Kalamata, Greece's best-known olive producing region, among trees that are hundreds of years old, Antonopoulos pointed to the results: half empty branches, with small or shriveled olives, or rotting, attacked by a fruit fly. "We're witnessing phenomena and problems th...
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Greece banned music in restaurants and bars and imposed a nighttime curfew with restricted movement on its popular holiday island of Mykonos on Saturday after a rise in new coronavirus infections there. Known as the party island of the super-rich, Mykonos is one of Greece’s most popular destinations, attracting more than a million visitors each summer, among them Hollywood stars, models and world-famous athletes. Following a “worrying” local outbreak, the Civil Protection Ministry said it was banning music on the island around the clock and would only allow movement between 1 a.m to 6 a.m to those going to and from work, or for health reasons. The restrictions will be in place until July 26, it said. Greece depends on tourism for a fifth of its economy and desperately need...
Read MoreThe European members of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) have met in Athens to advance the safe and sustainable restart of tourism across the region. The 66th meeting of the Commission for Europe counted on an unprecedented level of member representation. It also enjoyed political support of the highest level, with the participation of Greek Prime Minister Kriakos Mitsotakis, and Vice President of the European Commission Margaritis Schinas. The Commission met against the backdrop of the latest UNWTO data and perspectives on international tourism, and in the context of continued calls for coordination to #RestartTourism to support not only the sector but also wider economic and social recovery. “Europe has the chance to lead the global restart of tourism, safely and respons...
Read MoreCLIA has welcomed the restart of cruise tourism in Greece in line with the timeline presented months ago by the Greek government. Since last year, cruise resumption has been the result of extensive and fruitful collaboration between the cruise industry, the Greek Government, health authorities, and ports. More than 20 cruise lines are currently scheduled to set sail on cruises around Greece this year, with calls at 45 ports in total, demonstrating the dynamics of the industry as well as the dynamics of Greece as a top cruise destination. At least 15 of these cruise lines will home port in Greece. Remarkably, cruise operations started from day one of the reopening with 4 cruise lines already expected to operate during May. In total almost 40 cruise ships are projected to sail in Greece ...
Read MoreKenshō Psarou, the island’s finest, welcomes back visitors this Friday 21st May Southeast of Mykonos town, on the most iconic sandy beach, stands Kenshō Psarou, the ultra-luxury retreat and the cosmopolitan heartbeat of the Greek island. Kenshō Psarou attracts the rich and famous who come to ‘flock and dock’ their yachts and soak up the Grecian sunshine in style. Kenshō’s world-class restaurant and chic lounge bar provide the perfect setting for an afternoon of lite bites, chilled beats, sexy vibes, shisha, and relaxation. For foodies, Psarou is a little slice of heaven. Myconian award-winning chef, Ippokratis Anagnostelis provides a masterclass on modern Mediterranean cuisine infused with Greek, Japanese and Peruvian flavours. The ‘Chic Comfort’ menu includes dishes of ‘King...
Read MoreThe Greek island of Corfu welcomed its first cruise ship of the new season on Tuesday, hoping much awaited tourists will help salvage losses incurred during 2020 due to the coronavirus. Corfu port authorities said some 600 tourists from countries including Italy, France and Germany were on board the Costa Luminosa, operated by Italy’s Costa Cruises, and all safety measures were being adhered to in the port. Passengers of the Costa Luminosa cruise ship wearing protective face masks make their way at the port of the island of Corfu, Greece, May 18, 2021. REUTERS/Adonis Skordilis Some of the passengers expressed their delight at being able to travel again. “It’s freedom, enjoying life, you really feel much better. You’re not in prison anymore, you’re free and that really does you...
Read MoreGreece formally opened to visitors on Saturday, kicking off a summer season it hopes will resurrect its vital tourism industry battered by the coronavirus pandemic. After months of lockdown restrictions, Greece also opened its museums this week, including the Acropolis museum, home to renowned sculptures from Greek antiquity. Passengers arriving from Germany and Switzerland stand with their luggage outside the terminal of the Heraklion airport, as the country's tourism season officially opens, on the island of Crete, Greece, May 15, 2021. REUTERS/Stefanos Rapanis "I feel really alive and good because it has been such a hard and long year because of COVID," said Victoria Sanchez, a 22-year-old student on holiday from the Czech Republic. "I feel again alive," she said, as she st...
Read MoreWith widely spaced sun loungers and regular disinfections, Greece reopened its organised beaches on Saturday as the popular Mediterranean holiday destination eases COVID-19 curbs in preparation for the return of foreign visitors next week. Tourism accounts for about a fifth of Greece's economy and jobs, and - after the worst year on record for the industry last year - the country can ill afford another lost summer. A general view of a beach during the official reopening of beaches to the public, following the easing of measures against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Athens, Greece, May 8, 2021. REUTERS/Costas Baltas "We're pinning our hopes on tourism," said Nikos Venieris, who manages a sandy beach in the seafront suburb of Alimos, just outside the capital,...
Read MoreGreece lifts quarantine restrictions on coronavirus-free visitors from more countries including Australia and Russia from Monday as it extends exemptions ahead of formally opening up to tourists on May 15, the transport ministry said. The change, which came as Greece crossed the threshold of 10,000 deaths from COVID-19, follows a move this month to lift restrictions on visitors from EU countries, the United States and Britain, among other countries. FILE PHOTO: Workers install wooden corridors on a beach, a day before the official opening of beaches to the public following the easing of measures against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Athens, Greece. REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis Visitors from these countries are allowed into Greece without spending a week in ...
Read MoreGreece, looking to tourist season, makes islands vaccination priority Alekos Sfyriou untangles his fishing line and counts the days until ferries bring visitors back to his sleepy Greek isle. “All the small islands are waiting for tourists,” the 62-year-old fisherman says, slouched beneath a tree on the harbour. “They’ll eat the fish I catch.” There have been no reported cases of COVID-19 on Halki, a tiny island closer to Turkey than Athens, where the only sound piercing a quiet April morning was the crowing of a rooster. Nearly all of its 250 residents have been vaccinated against the virus, local authorities said, anticipating a resurgence of tourism, the economy’s lifeblood. View of the town of Halki, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, on the island of Hal...
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