For the tourism industry in Greece, Easter is seen as an unofficial start to the tourism season, a precursor of what is to be expected during summer. From this point of view, a four-hour shutdown of archaeological sites, can be considered as an ominous sign.
The shutdown in question was caused by a strike, programmed to take place on Holy Saturday, by the union of Archaeological Sites’ guards. The decision to close down sites of major touristic significance from 8am till noon came under severe criticism by the Federation of Hellenic Associations of Tourist and Travel Agencies (FedHATTA). The peak body issued a statement warning that this kind of industrial actions put the country’s image at risk.
In its statement, FedHATTA stressed that this particular strike would cause delays and long cueues outside of museums and archaeological sites, and would irritate tourists.
“We must all see that tourists leave Greece with the best memories from their stay in our country,” reads the statement, warning that such motions are undermining the country’s potential to benefit from its cultural legacy, which is a point of attraction for visitors from all over the world.
