Hotels in greece Fear a Burning Future "Wildlife Behavior in Response to Climate Change - Animals Moving Away"

While numerous tourists have evacuated the Greek island of Rhodes to escape the spreading flames, the local residents are now confronted with devastated landscapes, as the cypresses, olive trees, and pines encircling their abandoned establishments lay in ashes.

Numerous individuals express deep concern over the disruption of their livelihoods, both in the present and potential long-term implications, if the island's visitors, a fundamental revenue stream for the region, fail to make a comeback.

George Tirelis, a manager overseeing holiday villas in Rhodes' southern locale, observes the striking change from lush greenery to scorched terrain. The desolate surroundings and apprehensions among potential tourists have resulted in a decline in bookings.

Among European nations, Greece uniquely relies on the summer tourism season to fund the remainder of the year, with its economy heavily intertwined with the allure of its pristine coastlines and scenic vistas. The recent fires, which have spread since the previous week, have marred the nation's reputation as a desirable vacation destination. The situation necessitated the most extensive evacuation in recent history, resulting in significant harm to structures, the environment, and a reported loss of life, with at least two fatalities.

With climate change exacerbating scorching heatwaves and arid conditions that fuel wildfires, Greece faces mounting challenges that extend beyond immediate repercussions. The country's economy and its residents are now grappling with more profound, long-term questions.

As of Wednesday, firefighting teams persisted in combating the propagation of wildfires, with fresh outbreaks detected on the mainland. The situation has been further compounded by intensifying arid and hot weather, as another wave of scorching heat sweeps across Greece. Temperature records reached a peak of 46 degrees Celsius (approximately 115 degrees Fahrenheit) in central Greece, prompting an extreme wildfire risk across six regions.

Concurrently, the tourism industry was taking proactive measures. Greece's tourism minister, Olga Kefalogianni, convened an urgent meeting and, during a BBC radio interview on Monday, reassured visitors with scheduled bookings for Rhodes. Minister Kefalogianni encouraged them to proceed with their travel plans, emphasizing that the fires had impacted only a limited area of the island. Measures were being implemented to showcase Rhodes as "an exceptionally beautiful and secure destination."

However, the concerns extend well beyond Rhodes, prompting representatives of the tourism sector to issue a warning.

The Greek Tourism Confederation's Vice-President, Panagiotis Tokouzis, expressed concerns on Greek radio, stating, "Cancellations are pouring in," and emphasized that the impact extends beyond the islands. "The entire country's tourism has been affected," he added.

During an interview, Tokouzis mentioned that the industry had been facing challenges, with reduced tourist numbers in Greece during May and June this year. These declines followed a period of elevated inflation and global financial uncertainties.

In his statement, he mentioned that the industry had high hopes for a rebound in July and August. Regrettably, these expectations were overshadowed by the current developments.

While hotels on Rhodes predominantly experienced exterior damage, as reported by local tourism representatives, Tokouzis conveyed that 30% of bookings on the island were canceled for the upcoming two weeks, leading to significant financial losses amounting to millions.

Over the recent years, numerous regions in Greece have been devastated by wildfires, encompassing areas like Mati, a coastal town where fires claimed the lives of over 100 individuals in 2018, and the northern section of Evia island in 2021. In the current year, fires have spread to the southern region of Rhodes, as well as some parts of Corfu, another renowned tourist hotspot.

Insights from TCI Research, an esteemed travel data organization, suggest that Greece's online reputation as a favored tourist destination has witnessed short-term fluctuations following historical wildfire incidents. Yet, escalating heat waves, characterized by increased extent and severity, have raised alarm among tourism operators, who are apprehensive about the enduring impacts on the industry due to heightened fire-friendly conditions.

Miltiades Chelmis, who serves as the head of the Hoteliers Association of Evia, expressed substantial apprehension over the existing conditions, further intensified by the impact of climate change, in a country heavily reliant on tourism.

Mr. Chelmis expressed concern that if the current situation persists, tourists may seek destinations with cooler climates, potentially impacting tourist inflow. He further noted that even local wildlife is exhibiting a response to the heatwave conditions.

Moody's, the ratings agency, warned that prolonged heat waves could potentially diminish the allure of southern Europe as a tourist destination in the long run, or at least result in decreased summer demand. The agency further projected negative economic implications, considering the significance of the tourism sector in the region.

In a recent European Commission report, it was indicated that a 4-degree Celsius global warming scenario could lead to a 9% reduction in tourism activities in the Greek Ionian Islands. In contrast, Western Wales could experience a notable increase of around 16% in tourism under the same conditions.

On Saturday, occupants of the villas overseen by Mr. Tirelis in the southern region of Rhodes, adjacent to Kiotari village, began reporting images of dense smoke rising from the hill opposite the property, which was rich with vegetation. Presently, the land has been entirely ravaged by fire, leading to the cancellation of all reservations for the month of August. Nevertheless, Mr. Tirelis' concerns extended beyond the current summer season.

Concerns have been raised regarding the upcoming year," he expressed, "as we remain uncertain about customers' receptiveness towards traveling to Rhodes following the news of the significant fire.

Ion Gonos is also engaged in the rental of tourist accommodations near Kiotari, which consist of captivating white villas featuring expansive sea-facing windows and, until recently, an enchanting Mediterranean panorama. While the majority of the properties withstood the fires, the encompassing hillside is now veiled in ash. Gonos expressed significant concerns for both the environment and the viability of his business.

According to Gonos, travelers seek appealing destinations for their vacations, but he laments that the current state of affairs has resulted in a scenery dominated by dust and debris.

Yannis Tselios, aged 29, comes from a family that also engages in villa rentals nearby, catering to tourists. Unfortunately, their property suffered extensive damage in the recent fires, leading to a significant number of cancellations. Consequently, he has made the decision to suspend operations for the entirety of the year.

He further mentioned that they intended to undertake property renovations ahead of the upcoming season.

He expressed the possibility that the future might not mirror the past, stating that the restoration of the forest to its former state might not be attainable.

Following the 2018 fire incident in Mati, potential holidaymakers engaged in discussions on a TripAdvisor forum, deliberating on whether to proceed with hotel bookings in the area. One user expressed, "While it's deemed safe, the prevailing sentiment is undeniably sorrowful."

George Pappas, the manager of the Cabo Verde hotel, noted that a significant number of tourists eventually returned, attributing this trend, in part, to the village's advantageous location in proximity to Athens and Rafina, the ferry port serving numerous Greek islands.

According to him, several tourists were unaware of the events that had transpired in the area. However, Dimitris Lymperopoulos, a bartender at the hotel, expressed that the atmosphere had not fully recuperated.

He expressed that the prevailing sentiment in the area is one of sorrow due to the recent events.

With the passage of five years, he mentioned that the nature in the area had not fully returned to its original state.

According to him, trees require a significant amount of time to regrow.

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