Greek dockworkers are taking part in a 48-hour general strike and nationwide protest as Parliament debates budget cuts, tax hikes and asset sales to prevent the near bankrupt country defaulting on its sovereign debt.
They are also threatening a summer long campaign of industrial action if the government proceeds with plans to sell the state’s 75 percent stake in the ports of Piraeus and Thessaloniki by the end of the year.
The news doesn’t only damage tourist mobility during Easter, but causes a general decline in bookings of Canadian tourists who justifiably hesitate to plan their vacation in Greece.
The image of dockworkers having shut down the biggest port in Greece has traveled through Canada and brought along negative reaction from tourists. A significant drop in bookings has been reported for the beginning of the summer season.
According to data collected from Canadian tourist agencies, the only stable visitors of Greece are Greeks living in Canada. The negative press coverage of Greece seems to have deeply affected Canadians, who are afraid of possible strikes and tend to avoid Greece as a tourist destination -at least for now.
The decline in tourist mobility has troubled agencies who struggle to offer competitive holiday packages for Canadians hoping to ease their hesitation.
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