Editorial: Summers

The tourism sector is an important pillar of the Greek economy.

Tourism is not only trips, a change of scenery, or rest.

It is also jobs, income for households, and state revenues through both direct and indirect taxation.

The obvious conclusion is that this year’s tourist season must not be lost in its entirety.

Naturally one cannot expect it to reach the levels of prior years and yet one can hope that this summer will not be a wasteland.

Hope must be accompanied by planning.

Just as one plans a vacation so too must the tourism sector plan its services based on the conditions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.

Individuals want to feel safe during their vacation and that security can be offered only by those not involved in mass tourism.

This season more than any other what will count most is not the volume of tourism but rather the quality of services provided.

Certainly on the one hand the state must create the preconditions for a start-up of the tourism industry and on the other the government must decide how exactly hotels will operate.