Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Greece has set up a crisis unit for tourism after nearly 20,000 hotel booking cancellations in Athens alone after protests against government austerity measures, an official said on Thursday.
"Following mass cancellations of reservations, a crisis committee led by the Greek Tourism Organisation has been set up," government spokesman George Petalotis told reporters.
He estimated the cost in the "tens of millions of euros (dollars)."
Tourism is one of the Greek economy's main drivers, generating 17 percent of gross domestic product.
But at a time when the debt-hit country needs visitors more than ever, Greece has been in the media spotlight for recurring anti-austerity protests, often violent.
"The incidents that stigmatised Greece internationally were decisive in creating a climate of uncertainty and fear for visitors who had made bookings and who now no longer want to come to Greece for obvious reasons," Petalotis said.
"There are thousands of cancellations because of the incidents of recent days and the economic shortfall created every week runs in the tens of millions of euros," he said.
The capital's hoteliers union EXA said 68 of its members in the greater Athens region had reported nearly 20,000 night cancellations.
Three people died last week in an Athens bank firebombed during a demonstration and hundreds of tourists have faced delays at the main port of Piraeus due to successive general strikes.
A new general strike called by unions for May 20 will be joined by sailors, their federation said on Thursday.
"We have decided to join a 24-hour general strike on May 20 with a nationwide strike among all crews," the Panhellenic Seamen's Federation said in a statement.
The federation announced a second 24-hour strike for May 31 likely to disrupt for a second time the departure of a Maltese-flagged cruise ship which was prevented for hours from leaving Piraeus last month as well.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments