What will you learn?
How does the Greek government support tourists evacuated from Rhodes due to fires?
How many people had to leave Rhodes in July 2023 and why?
Who is eligible to receive vouchers as part of the "Rhodes Week" program?
In which periods can the hotel vouchers offered by the Greek Ministry of Tourism be used?
How can affected tourists apply for hotel vouchers.
Support for evacuated tourists
Nearly 20,000 people, including many tourists from the UK, had to leave Rhodes in July 2023 due to massive fires. To compensate them for this unexpected turn of events during their holidays, the Greek Ministry of Tourism has announced the issuance of hotel vouchers worth up to 500 euros. The vouchers can be used during a stay of at least seven nights, and their value will be adjusted to the original booking that was interrupted due to the disaster.
"Rhodes Week"- A chance to return
The "Rhodes Week" program focuses on two periods – spring, from April 10th to May 31st, and autumn, from October 1st to November 15th. This gives tourists, who unexpectedly had to cut their vacations short, a chance to experience the charms of Rhodes again, this time without the fear of fires.
Application procedure
The Ministry of Tourism is preparing a list of those eligible to receive vouchers, using data provided by hotels and tour operators. Those on this list should have already received an email asking them to complete the registration formalities. If no contact has been made, affected tourists can apply for the vouchers themselves. Although the deadline for spring applications has already passed, it is still possible to apply for support for the autumn period.
Comment by the Prime Minister of Greece
Last year, Greece struggled with a heatwave, during which temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, leading to fires on Rhodes and also on Corfu. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized at the time that in the face of global climate change, especially affecting the Mediterranean region, there is no "magical defense" against such disasters. The "Rhodes Week" initiative is one of the forms of response to these challenges, offering support for both tourists and the local economy of the island.