Minister of Culture and Tourism, P. Geroulanos says, Greece will cover all the additional costs any tourist may undertake in the country if he comes across industrial actions or natural disaster.
This offer is an attempt to improve the countries perception abroad, which has been deeply wounded by the strikes and protest that have taken place the past months.
Tourism is almost 20% to 30% of the country’s income, but reservations are down by nearly 10%, experts in the industry say.
Mr. Geroulanos said, “We are guaranteeing to pay any extra room and board any visitor in Greece pays even if stuck here because of a volcano in Iceland.”
Mr Geroulanos said tourism seems to be recovering, although it was too early to make any accurate forecasts. “The numbers are not really as gloomy as they were with the first cancellations,” he said.
The Greek government is imposing a great deal of austerity measures in return for a 110bn-euro (£95bn) bail-out from the EU and IMF.
Protests and strikes against the measures have brought the country to a standstill – closing airports, roads and railways.
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