Top 5 concerns: TripAdvisor tourists talk Greece online for post-Covid-19 era

Their main concerns have to do with health provision

Tourism is one of the hardest-hit industries from the outbreak of the deadly coronavirus pandemic, as many businesses have been devastated by the global shutdown of travel.

Despite, however, the crushing repercussions on tourism and the global economy as a whole, many travellers and holidaymakers dream of the time when the crisis ends and they will be allowed to visit their favourite destinations again.

In online communities, people continue to discuss their potential vacations, exchanging information, ideas and concerns. On the platform of TripAdvisor, for example, tourists who want to visit Greece are posting a series of practical questions related to the post-Covid-19 period and how safe it would be to travel to Greek destinations.

Some of the most frequently asked questions about going to Greece are interesting and range from, as can be expected, the country’s healthcare system and hospital services provided to people to the hotel staff and their health condition:

Tourism site Tornos News collected the most common of these:

How is health provision in the Greek islands? If I get coronary heart disease, will I be safe?

The question of whether a tourist will be safe in Mykonos, for example, in the event a coronavirus-related health issue is needed due to a coronavirus, even after the removal of travel restrictions, is one many pose. Based on the answers given by  other travellers taking part in the discussion, Greece appears to enjoy a very high assessment in terms of healthcare provision, as many respond that whenever they had to be treated for any reason on a Greek island, everything went fine. There are, of course, those who point out that it would be unwise to address such a question given the amount of pressure on public health services after the Covid-19 crisis.

Even if we are allowed to travel to Greece, will the Greek government allow us to do so?

Another question brought up a lot, mainly among British tourists, is whether the Greek authorities would allow travelling to the Greek islands, at some point in the summer and if so, under what conditions. Greece has received heaps of praise on the way it has handled the pandemic crisis so far from tourists, but the uncertainty raised by the controversial measures taken by all states (shutting down borders to other states), makes many wonder if they will eventually be allowed to enter Greece, and if so how. A question that cannot be answered.

How can the staff’s health be guaranteed at our hotel? 

A noteworthy piece of information is the fact that tourists are seeking and sharing data on which Greeks islands have reported zero cases of coronavirus infections. The only thing they seem to be concern with, and understandably so due to the lack of information that exists, but also due to their longing to travel to Greece when the crisis ends, is the state of health of the staff at the hotel where they will be staying. Many are seasoned travellers and are aware that in most Greek islands the staff is seasonal and comes from the mainland and the islands.

Should I cancel my reservation for June or wait?

This appears to be a very common question that concerns all Greek sites and can be generally seen across many travel communities around the world. A large percentage of tourists, hoping that the pandemic will have passed by then, are seriously considering hanging on to their bookings for months after May. In addition to their desire to travel, there is a fear that if they cancel their vacation, they will lose their money. In this case, the answers relate to travel insurance and cancellation policies, as applicable.

What are the latest developments in the spread of coronavirus in Greece? What about tourist businesses – attractions, restaurants, transportation?

Tourists share various links in their native language to keep up to date about the latest news and developments in Greece related to the coronavirus. The most frequent queries concern whether there are predictions about when the measures will be lifted and discussions about the fact that our country is on a very good path in terms of dealing with the pandemic. Regarding the first implementation of the measures in March, the majority of tourists welcomed the move of the Greek government.

source tornosnews.gr