What STC Seminar Attendees Need To Know About Visiting Greece
There have been a few concerns from people about Greece’s debt crisis and Shoot The Centerfold’s October seminar that will take place in Santorini, Greece. However, experts say that the debt crisis doesn’t mean the country’s tourism industry is crumbling.
First, it’s important to mention that Santorini is a very small and extremely exclusive island, and therefore not affected much by the turmoil in Athens or other more rural inland areas. Santorini is a secluded little paradise away from the general population and lives under its own rule and is populated by wealthy tourists.
At the moment, major banks in Greece are closed, and citizens face restrictions on ATM withdrawals in light of the country’s economic woes, the latest of which involved a rejection of a bailout deal on Sunday. ATM withdrawals are limited to 60 euros per Greek citizen per day, though that amount may increase in the coming days.
But travelers should be able to enjoy their vacations in Greece without major problems and Santorini is just like Miami Beach in the USA which is not affected by the mainland turmoils.
First, foreigners are not subject to the same ATM restrictions. “So far, tourists in Greece have been unaffected by recent economic developments,” Christos Stergiou, founder of Greek luxury travel company TrueGreece, told The Huffington Post. “Foreign credit cards continue to be functional, even with the banks closed.”
As a precaution, Stergiou says visitors to Greece should arrive with the full amount of Euros they’ll need in cash, as ATMs may be out of money or have long lines. He also suggests that visitors use credit cards whenever possible during their stay.
Tourist operations — like ferries, resorts and restaurants — are expected to operate as normal on Greece’s islands and mainland, Greece’s Ministry for Economy, Infrastructure, Shipping and Tourism assured visitors last week.
There’s a small chance that fuel shortages will cause travel delays, but members of the tourism industry do not expect the crisis to seriously impact travel this season, CNN reports. Summer is typically Greece’s busiest travel season, and most experts agree that travelers should continue to take advantage of all Greece has to offer, while taking extra precautions.
With the debt crisis, Greece needs tourism money now more than ever. Plus, the euro has declined in value, making it one of the cheapest times ever to visit the country.
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I have friends who are traveling extensively in Greece at the moment. They report that it is most important to carry Euros when possible but that prices are very cheap and people are willing to go way out of the their in return for a few Euros. According to them, and they have been to Greece many times, this is the best trip ever and the cheapest.