Tourists who evacuated their hotels and lost the opportunity to continue their vacation in Greece due to the forest fires last year now have the opportunity to take advantage of a unique offer. Find out more about how to have a free vacation in Greece this year

An insurance policy is a guarantee of your safety and peaceful stay outside of Ukraine

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In the summer of 2023, when the tourist season on the Greek island of Rhodes was at its peak, a large-scale forest fire engulfed the area. In this regard, the authorities announced the largest evacuation in the history of the island, forcing many tourists to stop their vacation.

This year, the Greek authorities have decided to compensate tourists who were forced to leave the island last summer by organizing a "free vacation" for them. This was reported by The Guardian.

Greece launches free vacation for tourists whose vacation was interrupted by fires last year

According to this decision, up to 25 thousand affected vacationers will be entitled to compensation.

As part of the program, tourists who were evacuated from hotels due to the fire will be able to exchange electronic vouchers worth up to 500 euros to cover the cost of a week's stay in Rhodes. The initiative will be implemented in two stages: from April 11 to May 31 and from October 1 to November 15.

According to Rhodes tourism officials, the program has caused a great deal of excitement: more than 5,000 vacationers have already registered to participate in it.

Yannis Papavassiliou, head of the island's hoteliers' union, noted that the compensation will reflect the amount that customers originally paid to tour operators and will range from 300 to 500 euros.

"This will apply only to hotels, not to private accommodation in the Airbnb style," he clarified.

At the same time, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned of a high risk of forest fires in the future.

"The entire Mediterranean is a hot spot of climate change. According to statistics, this means we will have more fires and possibly more floods," he said.

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Holidays in Greece 2024: changes for tourists

In 2024, the Greek government made several important changes in the field of tourism, UNIAN reports. In January of this year, it was announced that the Greek authorities are introducing a new fee for tourists - a fee for combating climate change.

Thus, the government intends to raise funds for the restoration of regions affected by forest fires last year and for the implementation of further climate projects.

Under the new system, tourists will be required to pay an additional tax at their places of residence. This system will be applied only during the high season, from March to October. The amount of tax will depend on the official rating of the hotel and will range from 1 to 4 euros per night.

In addition, starting this year, Greece has tightened rules on beaches. One of the changes is that 70% of Greek beaches must be free of sunbeds to prevent overcrowding and provide greater comfort.

Also, a minimum distance of four meters must now be maintained between sunbeds and the shoreline to make it easier for people to get to the water. This decision was preceded by large-scale protests by local residents last year, who complained that coastal businesses were pushing them off Greek beaches.

Safety while traveling

Remember that reliable health insurance is the key to a tourist's confidence and safety while traveling. After all, an insurance policy will not only help you get high-quality medical care, but also save your own money in an unforeseen situation, for example, in case of a flight delay or loss of luggage at the airport.

You can buy travel insurance on the Visit Ukraine website. We offer health insurance policies for Ukrainians planning a trip abroad and military risk insurance for foreigners traveling to Ukraine.

We remind you! Earlier we wrote that starting from April 25, 2024, tourists traveling to Venice will be obliged to pay an entrance fee. The mayor of the city Luigi Bruniaro told the details of the innovation. Find out more about who will have to pay for visiting the city, the amount of the fee, and what tourists who ignore the payment will face.

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