NEWS

Easter travel down as austerity takes toll

The repercussions of the country?s debt crisis on household budgets, along with the increase in ferry ticket prices and a two-day strike by seamen last week, conspired to keep thousands of Greeks at home over the Orthodox Easter holiday while many more chose less costly breaks, Kathimerini understands.

Ferry travel was particularly hard hit, with some 60 percent fewer tickets booked than the same period last year, according to industry estimates.

It was not only the unprecedented strike action in Easter week that caused the slump in sea travel. Ferry firms restricted their itineraries due to the higher cost of petrol and the expense of maintaining vessels.

Meanwhile, due to the higher cost of ferry tickets, thousands of Greeks decided against traveling to one of the islands and opted to spend their Easter break on the mainland.

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