Although Germans are dreaming of the Greek islands this year, Greece’s epidemiological situation is negatively affecting their travel plans for the summer season.

Greek organizers of events and conferences are calling on the government to announce health protocols so the MICE tourism sector can restart operations.

Some two weeks ahead of Greece’s official opening to tourists, the country’s hoteliers are calling on the government to take action and support the Covid-19-hit sector.

Arrivals and travel receipts in Greece took a massive blow last year hard hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, according to final tourism data for 2020.

Tourism revenue in Greece for the first two months of the year nosedived by 90 percent, according to provisional data by the Bank of Greece.

Tourism ministers joined together at the WTTC’s annual Global Summit 2021 and urged the public and private sectors to work together in partnership to save travel.

IATA expects net airline industry losses of $47.7 billion in 2021 and says immediate priorities are restart plans, employment support and cost reduction.

Only a fifth of Austrians – 21 percent – are making plans to go on a holiday out of the country this summer, according to a recent survey.

Passenger traffic at all of Greece’s airports was down for the 13th month in a row due to Covid-19 travel restrictions, according to data by the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA).

Following the cancellation of conferences and exhibitions since Covid-19 appeared in 2020, the Greek MICE industry is counting losses that exceed €200 million.

February showed no indication of a recovery in demand for air travel as international passenger demand was down by 88.7 percent, according to IATA.

The collapse of the Greek travel and tourism sector has wiped out 23 billion euros from the nation’s economy, according to WTTC research.