Holiday in Greece? Athens' financial woes fail to dent tourism industry
Beautiful islands, historic attractions continue to lure visitors during financial crisis, though many are bringing extra cash, just in case
Tourists arriving at Athens airport came doubly prepared - as well as sunscreen and flip-flops, many were carrying wads of extra cash just in case there is a Greek banking collapse.
Kees van den Berg, from Utrecht, Netherlands who was catching a taxi into town with his girlfriend, Martje, flashed an envelope containing €1,500.
"Should do us for a week," he said. "I'm sure the risk is exaggerated, though. I can't see it coming to that - a huge holiday destination with no cash, at the beginning of the summer?"
The escalating debt crisis that may force Greece's banks to shut this week has only slightly dented tourists' appetite for island holidays in the country, with advance demand for package tours still robust, travel operators said.
Europeans make up the lion's share of visitors to Greece, with Britons and Germans accounting for 20 per cent last year. German and Swiss tour operators have reported rising bookings for Greek holidays, and British holiday companies said they had mostly seen no drop-off.
Noel Josephides, chairman of Britain's Sunvil tour operator, said June bookings had slowed. The operator has plans in place should tourists find themselves stranded without cash, but he said he did not expect to have to put them into action.