Greece is already back (…)

Korinna Zekkou is a Managing Director of Elxis SA at Heliades Villas

By Korinna Zekkou*

Tourism sector specialists like Expedia CEO Peter Kern believes that news of an impending vaccine—rather than the vaccine itself— will jump-start travel again.

Pfizer’s announcement last week that its vaccine candidate was 90% effective has not yet shown a quantifiable impact on tourism yet, but it created a hopeful shift in “consumer confidence”, which of course cannot happen overnight, but it can definitely create a sense of hopeful anticipation…

Given all the precautions we have been taking, people seem to get increasingly comfortable with how safe air travel, hotels and holiday accommodations are, and that is why many tourist gurus feel that the numbers in bookings will pick up, especially if all parts of the industry continue to do their part by reverently applying protection and security measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Trusting in airline, hotel and holiday accommodations protocols matters a great deal, but as we all know they are applicable only when people are physically able to travel. With that thought in mind, we have to say that the second wave of lockdowns around much of Europe (and possibly the U.S., soon), brings a few clouds to the idea of a glorious comeback  in Greek tourism for the Summer 2021.

But we are far from feeling pessimistic. As long as we all do our part to prevent the spread of covid-19, chances are that we will pick up where we left off, to say the least. 

Late October Forbes Magazine featured an article with the title: “The 20 Best Places To Travel In 2021: Where To Go Next”. Greece was on that list. Cyclades was on that list. The author Tania Swasbrook of Travelworld International Group, chosen the world famous Santorini. But travellers around the world know that if you have never been to at least 20 Greek Islands, you don’t know what travel is.

Recently, Greece ranked as the fifth best tourism brand in 2020, according to a survey conducted by market research firm Ipsos that evaluates the perceptions of consumers in 50 countries. Our country re-entered the top-5 for the first time since 2018, ranking in 5th place – replacing the United States(!).

Lonely Planet named Greece as 2021’s Best Food Destination thanks to its ‘organic produce markets and island seafood’.

Why Greece is the perfect destination for your next getaway explains in a beautiful article Mail Online.

Greece is included in the National Geographic’s article “Best of the World: 35 incredible places to discover in 2021 and beyond”

And the list goes on… Even during those difficult times, Greece is everywhere.

Maybe the pandemic and the subsequently slower 2020 tourist season have given us the opportunity to rethink and reinvent the way we do tourism. How can it be more sustainable and maybe less driven by mass consumerism?

We at Heliades Villas, like many other entrepreneurs in the particular sector, dedicate ourselves in promoting the real beauty of Greece.  All these years we strive to show our guests the real Greek way of life. The simple and unprohibited lifestyle in a country that is truly blessed.

Our people, the breath-taking natural beauty, the rich culture, the undisrupted civilization through the years, are the ingredients of a country that everyone wants to visit and experience up close. We are the segment of the industry that opens the door to the real Greek lifestyle. We show the world Greece’s true colours. Those of a country that spreads happiness, feels blessed and stands tall even in the darkest hours.

*Korinna Zekkou is a Managing Director of Elxis SA at Heliades Villas.