UNWTO: Greek tourism is safe
The United Nations World Tourism Organization is reassuring about the potential impact of the heatwaves and fires on travel in the summer months in the Mediterranean. “If someone hesitates to visit Greece in July, they should do it in September,” the director of the UNWTO for Europe, Alessandra Priante, told Kathimerini.
She went on to praise the country for its response to the fires on Rhodes and Corfu, going on to say that Greece should actually promote itself as a safe destination for travelers. On the contrary, she speaks of mismanagement due to a lack of planning by tourism destinations, which leads to the phenomena of overtourism and congestion.
Explaining how UNWTO perceives sustainability in tourism, she emphasizes the concept of diversification in booking management: “You don’t have to reduce the number of tourists. Come out with a campaign and say: ‘Why July? Book two weeks in September’.”
“You are not more sustainable if you put up a sign that says ‘keep your towel for two days.’ You are sustainable when you plan ahead. When you invest. When you organize, for example, your islands so that you don’t end up with too many tourists in one place. Make a deal even with Airbnb, to host people in emergency situations,” she says.
