Tourists draw cash from tour reps (video)

Far from the madness of ATMs, most tourists are unaffected by the crisis and are also finding their trip cheaper than they expected

Experts are warning travelers to Greece to avoid bringing high denomination banknotes, as traders may not have that much cash on hand for an exchange. In an interview with Daily Mail, Martin Lewis from Moneysavingexpert.com says tourists should “take enough for spending and then some emergency funds that you won’t touch.”

He underlined that some businesses will accept cash only.

Despite fears of theft, there have been “no reports of out-of-the-ordinary theft”. Furthermore, there are long lines at ATM machines as local residents rush to get their daily dose of around 60 euros, due to capital controls that have been imposed.

The relatively high parity in favor of the UK pound against the euro has made it more affordable to travel in the Mediterranean — 12% cheaper for British tourists than it was last summer. Those who have booked holidays to Greece as part of all-inclusive packages and who have paid upfront are unlikely to visit banks.

The Guardian reports that Olympic Holidays and Ionian Holidays announced on Monday that customers can draw cash from tour representatives secured against a credit or debit card in case they run out of money.