The prolonged farmers’ protests are causing serious disruptions to economic activity, with the commercial sector, tourism, and food service industry sounding the alarm ahead of the festive season. At the same time, they are appealing to farmers to enter into dialogue with the government in order to find a solution.

As representatives of these sectors point out, the difficulties are not limited to the holiday long weekends, but have already been ongoing for about three weeks, creating a suffocating environment for businesses that were expecting increased revenues.

According to statements made on television programs by the President of the Piraeus Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vasilis Korkidis, daily losses in fresh products and food are significant, while the cost is particularly high for exports that rely on road transport to the Balkan countries.

The situation in tourism is equally worrying, according to sector representatives. In popular winter destinations in Thessaly and Epirus, such as Trikala, Volos, Pelion, and Ioannina, booking cancellations in some cases reach as high as 50%. The President of the Magnesia Hoteliers Association, Giorgos Zafeiris, has emphasized in television interviews that this decline has been recorded for several days, foreshadowing a Christmas season with low occupancy rates. Similar assessments are expressed by hotel representatives in other regions, who speak of increased public reluctance to proceed with new bookings.

The Vice President of the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation, Heraklis Tsitlakidis, speaking on Skai TV, noted that the problem is not limited to accommodation but affects the local economy as a whole: food service, commerce, and services depend directly on the smooth flow of visitors. At the same time, hotel representatives stress that while they understand the demands of the farming sector, it is essential that the protests do not disproportionately harm other professional sectors.

Particular emphasis is placed on the importance of the festive period for local markets. The President of the Trikala Hoteliers Association, Konstantinos Papoulios, speaking on ERT, said that a significant portion of the expected traffic has already been lost over the previous weekends, and noted that without visitors, local businesses are deprived of essential revenues. He also pointed out that these are mainly small, family-run establishments, closely connected to the local community.

In the same spirit, organizations involved in cultural and tourism activities, such as the “Mill of the Elves” in Trikala, remind the public that visiting a destination supports the wider region, from attractions to the local market.

The common request from all parties is de-escalation of tensions and the return of farmers to dialogue with the government, so that a solution can be found without further burdening the economy.