Mykonos, Greece. Picture: 123RF/DIETER HAWLANAcross Southern Europe’s tourist hotspots, all they can do is get ready and hope.
“Tourism flows on the whole are not expected to fully recover to their pre-crisis levels in 2021,” the commission said. In Italy, tourism will lag behind the broader economic recovery as visitors “only gradually return as uncertainty diminishes”. “We need to be ready without knowing if we can open,” said Manolis Karamolegos, who owns Meltemi Hotels and Resorts in Santorini and is president of the local hoteliers ‘association. “We can’t leave preparations to the last minute.”
Even if there’s a surge in last-minute bookings, the benefits won’t be felt evenly. The European Commission says they will favour destinations at home or within driving distance over places such as Greece and Portugal. TUI, the world’s biggest tour operator, said this week it’s sticking with plans to offer 80% of its usual holiday programme this summer. It’s betting that the rapid pace of the UK vaccine rollout will boost demand from British sun-seekers.
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