Santorini fears for the summer tourist season when the earthquakes arrive on the island

February marks the unofficial beginning of the tourist season on the Greek island of Santorini, when the first cruises will arrive and Easter holidays approach.

But with thousands of earthquakes shaking the island since January and experts who cannot say when they will end, a cruise has already moved away and fears that the most important industry on the island can face a difficult year.

“In the last two days, we have seen a drop in reservations, but we hope this is shortly,” says Antonis Paggonis, president of the Hotel Association of Greece.

But even if tourists do not choose to go elsewhere this year, hotels still face the possibility of not having enough personnel to serve their guests in summer.

Santorini, one of the most visited islands in Greece, depends largely on seasonal workers in other parts of Greece and abroad, which help the permanent population of just over 15,000 to serve tens of thousands of tourists in the Island every day in the high season.

But uncertainty about how tremors will affect the number of tourists have forced some workers to reconsider their options this summer.

“It’s not that you are afraid of earthquakes: Santorini always shakes,” says Manos, who has spent the last five summers working as a cantinero on the island.

His work is demanding, with the fans during the maximum tourist season, but the financial rewards have always made it worth it. This year fears that this is not the case.

“I worry that there are not enough tourists. If the season is weak, it may not win so much money or do not need me throughout the summer. I can’t run that risk.”

Instead, Manos says that he has taken a job in Corfú and will not return to Santorini this year.

And it is not only in summer that the island requires a temporary workforce, now it is the time when construction workers are necessary to restore hotels before summer.

This work has stopped due to security concerns about earthquakes, and hotels owners, worried that workers will go to the other side, are pressing so that the government continues to pay for most of their salary until the work can Start again.

“We have presented a series of proposals to the Government to support both the existing workforce on the island and those who seek to work during the season,” says Pagonis.

He adds that the government has responded positively, but “it remains to be seen if these measures will be implemented.”

While the Greek authorities have quickly responded to the risks raised by the tremors, placing rescue equipment in Santorini and introducing an emergency state to accelerate the aid, some in the tourism industry argue that this must follow the investment in the infrastructure of The island.

“The challenges will not disappear once the earthquakes stop,” says Margarita Karamolegkou, owner of four hotels in Santorini.

“During the season, the island sees 70,000 workers and 160,000 visitors daily. While the State has acted quickly in response to the earthquake, for a long time we have been asking for improvements such as a new port.”

There are also calls to stricter regulations on private rental properties, which may not meet the same safety standards as the hotels on the island.

Santorini represents about 2.5% of Greece Gross Domestic Product (GDP), generating an estimate of € 5.9bn (£ 4.9bn) annually.

While so far there have been cancellations, hoteliers report a decrease in reserves and industry professionals warn that if the situation persists for another month, the impact on companies could be serious.

During a visit to the island on Friday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis recognized the importance of protecting Santorini’s reputation, describing it as “an iconic tourist destination” and saying: “It is our duty to protect it, preserve its reputation and ensure that 2025 is another Excellent year for tourism. “

Mrs. Karamolegkou, whose four hotels use 120 employees, recognizes the challenges and admits that if the tremors continue much longer, may have to delay the opening of their hotels and businesses. But she is still optimistic about the future of the most important industry on the island.

“We have been in this business for decades, operating at the highest level. I am sure that even with less personnel, our services will remain exceptional.”