Tourism Today, Aiming for Tomorrow

 

photo: Alexandros Beltes

It’s understandable with all going on in the world today that you might have missed the rebellion-mentality taking hold in many of the world’s most popular –and upscale–tourist destinations.  In Barcelona, that meant water pistols leveled at tourists.

 

Tassoula Eptakili

As reported in July 2024 by Tassoula Eptakili in Ekathimerini (Greece’s newspaper of record), “thousands of residents in Barcelona protested against the effects of overtourism, which are making their lives unbearable. Spain is the second most popular destination in the world after France, receiving 85 million visitors last year and expecting even more in 2024. The streets in downtown Barcelona are constantly congested, rental rates have skyrocketed by nearly 70% in the past few years, water is being rationed (every resident is entitled to 200 liters a day) and small neighborhood businesses are shutting down and turning into bicycle rental shops, cafes and souvenir stores.”

 

photo: Tricafaldetes

In an earlier Ekathimerini article, Eptakili reported “about 200 activists gathered on a popular beach in Mallorca, Spain, to protest the effects of overtourism on the environment, on rent and prices in general, and on their daily lives. On this small beach, a cove with emerald waters, 4,000 visitors and 1,200 cars arrive every day to take a photo and post it on Instagram. In videos posted online, locals can be seen shouting at foreign visitors to ‘go away, go away’….

 

“In Greece, we may not have similar incidents, with locals shouting at tourists to ‘go away,’ but dissatisfaction has been expressed on several occasions.”

 

Photo: Petros Giannakouris

Alex Papachelas, Ekathimerini’s Executive Editor has written, “Let’s say a large hotel unit is being built on an island… it is an investment that initially many people will see positively. It is aimed at high-income tourists and the expectation is created that it will raise the overall level of the island. Few people are concerned about the fact that the island in question lacks basic infrastructure and that the incomplete network that does exist was not designed for such high numbers of tourists… Understaffing is a major issue of our time and obviously a large unit makes it worse for everyone else who is struggling to find personnel and compete in terms of wages.

 

“But another problem also emerges: The new hotel rents out every room and apartment on the island for its staff. The room owners are happy because they have a stable income, but people who work in state-run services on the island can no longer find affordable accommodation. At the same time, the average Greek who stayed in these rooms because their prices were reasonable can no longer visit the island. The cheaper tavernas also feel the impact and the domino effect continues.”

 

Alex Papachelas

So, what is there to be done?  It is a matter front and center in the minds of the current government, shared by forward thinkers concerned for the future of Greece’s most valuable commodity, TOURISM.

 

An example of that thinking is the following article published a couple of days ago by Tom Ellis of Ekathimerini describing his paper’s commitment to focusing on how best to address the needs of Greece’s critical tourism dynamic:

 

Tom Ellis

“Most Greeks, of all ideological persuasions, agree that tourism is our national industry. Hence it is only natural that we should do everything we can to protect and improve it.

 

“As the steadily increasing tourist volume of the last few years has not only brought obvious benefits but also caused distractions, legitimate questions are being raised about how local economies can or should deal with them.

 

“Is tourism in Greece – the result of the country’s natural beauty – a blessing or a curse? It’s obviously a blessing. but we should do everything we can to protect it so it stays a blessing.

 

“The issue has leapt to the forefront, demanding a public dialogue about where we are, how we got here and, most importantly, where we go from here, and how.

 

“It is in that context that Kathimerini has taken the initiative to try to forge a roadmap for the future.

 

“Greek tourism is doing well and it is without doubt a very important success story for this country.

 

“That doesn’t mean that some aspects of the way the country’s tourism industry has developed in the past cannot change. Improving the Greek paradigm, making it more solid through responsible practices, should be a national goal.

 

“It is with that in mind that this week Kathimerini hosted another Reimagine Tourism in Greece summit, in coordination with our partners who have shown a long-term positive impact on the industry, share our hopes and aspirations, but at the same time are similarly concerned about deficiencies and obstacles that have to be overcome.

 

“The aim is to have a modern tourism industry that benefits Greek society as a whole, while safeguarding our traditions and cultural treasures, and at the same time protecting the environment and the country’s natural beauty.

 

“In that effort we aim to be the intellectual cornerstone of a healthy debate and exchange of ideas.

 

“If we do it right, it will benefit everyone: private businesses, local economies, and, at the end of the day, the country as a whole.

 

“Our aim is none other than to contribute to the creation of an ecosystem that facilitates innovation and encourages the implementation of best practices, and, in doing so, helps to reshape Greek tourism with an eye to a sustainable future.”

 

Let’s hope these goals come to pass. Better yet, let’s all work toward making them happen.

 

––Jeff

There is Much to Learn From the Greeks

I promised not to talk about what’s going on in Greece…at least not now.  Even though there are such juicy stories to pounce on, such as these three:

ONE.  Greece’s former transit minister, the nephew of the founder of Greece’s currently ruling political party, was arrested for running a stop sign and found to be driving an unregistered luxury vehicle bearing false license plates. If registered, he’d have had to pay 3300 euros in vehicle related taxes. He showed up in court wearing a 1500-euro jacket and claimed he was a "pensioner" affected by the crisis and only driving the vehicle to “charge the battery.”

 

Former Transit Minister in transit.

TWO.  Parliament agreed to block dispersal to neo-Nazi political party Golden Dawn of 300,000 euros it would have received as a member of Parliament, doing so on the basis of a law denying such funding to a party with leaders facing criminal prosecutions. On the same day it refused to allow an investigation into the role played by the leader of the ruling party’s coalition partner in a 360 million-euro loss sustained by Greece in a stalled, three submarine deal signed-off on by that leader who, incidentally, was recently reported to be perhaps the richest of the country’s party leaders.

Golden Dawn leader

PASOK leader

Savvas Xeros of November 17

THREE.  As reported by Ekathimerini, Greece’s equivalent of The New York Times, convicted terrorist Savvas Xeros—currently serving five consecutive life sentences plus an additional 25 years for his involvement in the November 17 terror group’s 27-year reign of terror covering 23 assassinations and thousands of related crimes—was granted a one-month furlough from prison by a Piraeus court on Thursday so that he could undergo medical treatment in a university hospital.  The issue stirred controversy in Parliament between opposition SYRIZA and ruling New Democracy, with the former’s human rights committee saying that the continued detention of an inmate diagnosed with serious health problems constitutes “inhumane treatment,” and the ruling party accusing the “leftists” of “trying to achieve the release of the murderer and terrorist by intervening in justice.”

New Democracy and SYRIZA leaders

Obviously, there are different sides to those stories, but I’m going to honor my promise and pass on offering my take. Instead, I’m posting what I think a very well thought out editorial by Alexis Papachelas, Executive Editor of Ekathimerini.  It appeared in last Sunday’s paper. And, yes, you might say it applies to us as well. That’s “us” as in US.  It’s titled, “Dangerous Ambitions”:

Alex Papachelas

I would very much like to ask all those dreaming of becoming the country’s next prime minister whether they have thought it through properly and are sufficiently prepared, with a specific plan and an even more specific team to implement it. 

Daydreamers abound. Some feel they have been treated unfairly by history while others wish to take revenge for injustices suffered by their parents. There are also those who are immature enough to believe that the premiership will simply fall into their laps, just like everything else.

Very few realize how tough the job of prime minister in a country which has fallen apart actually is. The way they seem to ignore danger is impressive. They could at least realize that for the first time in decades, a wrong move while at the country’s helm could lead to disaster for the country and themselves. But they still insist on working solely on their publicity skills. 

You hear supposedly serious people boasting about receiving backing from newspapers and businesspeople. So what? Even if they do get elected, who will govern the country amid such adverse conditions? Those who backed them in the first place will turn against them if they don’t return the favor – this has always been the case. And when the going gets really tough, whoever has realized this dream will find himself alone in the Maximos Mansion, feeling the tremendous pressure exerted by the Greek people, the country’s lenders and interest groups on the one hand and history waiting to issue its verdict on the other. 

Partisan sycophants who seemed like giants in party offices will seem like midgets as they take on positions of even basic responsibility. Ambition is legitimate. What angers people, however, is the shallowness and unbearable lightness with which everyone across the political spectrum is preparing themselves: with low-quality staff, a complete lack of planning, big words and ludicrous tactics.

Some of it is our own – citizens’ and the media’s – fault. We glorify communication mastery and light populism and condemn anyone who comes across as gray and serious. Acting tough and playing the media game properly is today’s winning ticket. But this doesn’t lead anywhere. 

Antonis Samaras will eventually leave office and history will tell whether he did everything in his power to accomplish his mission. He has certainly given his role as premier much more than most people expected. It’s time to get stricter with anyone who wants the country’s top job. In the past we put our trust in people who had never worked before, who had never felt the threat of getting laid off. We considered pamphlets with pretty graphics sufficient plans for governing. 

We should not fall into this trap again because things are really serious this time around.

*****

As is often said, we can learn from the Greeks.   Let’s just hope they do so as well.

By the way, the photo at the top of this post is of a Christmas tree erected two years ago by volunteers in front of Greece’s Parliament building.  It’s made out of donated milk cans, later distributed to the needy.  In that spirit, and an ecumenical prayer for better times for all on earth, Merry Christmas and Kala Kristouyenna.

Jeff—Saturday

Tired of Being Taken for a Fool?

“You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time.”

Most attribute that adage to Abraham Lincoln, a Republican politician, though some argue for legendary showman PT Barnum.  For purposes of this discussion it doesn’t much matter which one said it, because in today’s world enough of us are fools so much of the time that the rest of us suffer as if we’re all fools all the time.

No, I’m not talking about the ridiculous political campaign rhetoric tossed at us with about as much sincerity and honest intentions as a hooker’s smile.  An example of that scenario will play out tomorrow as Greeks vote to see who will replace the non-political caretaker government appointed to run their country after their elected legislators ignominiously failed to agree upon who should run it.  Tomorrow’s election is fraught with promises that cannot possibly be kept, consequences few want to grasp, and a result likely far worse that the current situation.   But I’m not talking about that.

May 6, 2012 Election Results--no coalition formed

I’m talking about the US.  Americans pride themselves on hard work and honest government, but are we any better governed than the suffering Greeks who must contend with an entrenched political hierarchy that puts vested personal self-interest and cash above the common good?

Yes, cash.  Okay, in the US the cash transaction typically doesn’t involve the Greek’s traditional envelope or untraditional Pampers box, but rather opportunities to trade on insider information (a crime for mere mortals) or receive preferential investment deals from companies seeking government support.  Both put cash in a legislator’s pocket—and the legislator likely in the pocket of the benefactor.  Now, thanks to the US Supreme Court’s infamous (from my way of thinking) Citizens United decision allowing unlimited corporate campaign contributions, there’s no doubt that cash rules the Congressional and Executive branches of government.  Not sure what holds the top spot with the Judiciary, but it’s likely one of the seven deadly sins.   

With all due respect to Lincoln and Barnum, I think today’s truism on American politics is, “Money talks.  End of Story.” 

We need to find a way to get things back on track. And fast.  Think of Greece as our canary in the mine, revealing what happens when those we trust to govern on our behalf lose sight of their primary obligation to do what is best for their country.

Alexis Papachelas

Here are some thoughts expressed this week by Alexis Papachelas, managing editor of Athens’ Kathimerini.  He wrote of what it meant to see his government in the hands of people working for love of country, not personal ambition.  

It’s good to know that when your country is in danger, there are still responsible people who care about it, who are willing to risk their reputation for it, and who can handle extremely delicate issues using skill and common sense.

These days I often hear state officials and ordinary people saying: “I wish previous governments had the quality of the current caretaker administration…”

The question is this: Why don’t we see people like [these] taking government posts unless they are in emergency or caretaker governments?

A first response would be that they…would not be elected if they were included on party tickets.

A different response would be because they would be snubbed by most mainstream TV networks because of low ratings.

A third explanation is that the traditional parties are highly allergic to such people; rather, they are treated with envy, disdain and, sometimes, fear.

It’s a pity that we never got a chance to see such a government…

It’s sad to have to put up with all those who systematically attack any serious individual... They either want governments staffed with TV personalities so that they can get close to the political personnel or they are concerned about losing the lavish handouts by any party army that climbs to power.

It’s time we got serious.

Yes, my fellow Americans, it’s time we got serious.

Jeff—Saturday