What will happen to Greece's tourism when the fires finally die?
Fires continue to devastate Greece like never before as the country faces its worst wildfires on record. Greeks are fleeing their homes, uncertain if they will return to find them standing. Acres of olive trees are burning, and ancient sites are threatened by fast, unpredictable flames. Greece is burning from its northern border with Albania to the Peloponnesian Peninsula in the South.
Greece in Flames
According to the Associated Press, at least 64 people have died from the fires. One small village, Artemida, accounts for almost half of those who perished from the fires. The devastation is everywhere in Greece, although the hardest hit area was the Peloponnesian Peninsula in the south. August is vacation month for the Greeks, and many families had left larger cities like Athens for the sea and countryside.
Raging fires threatened the ancient site of Olympia, birthplace to the Olympic Games. Flames licked the land outside the site and just up to an archaelogical stadium, where fire fighters fought the blaze. The beloved Ancient Olympia was saved, but unfortunately its modern, picturesque town of Platanos, a mile away, was badly damaged. Residents were evacuated, leaving behind a town that was renovating its main street all summer, only to be destroyed by unforgiving flames.
Possible Causes
Fires in Greece are not uncommon-- Greece’s heat waves in the summer and its naturally dry land can prove hazardous with a drop of a match or cigarette. But Greek’s Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis says arson may be behind many of the fires, and the government arrested 11 people suspected of arson. Officials and Greeks alike wonder if developers are behind some of the fires, hoping to clear protected forest land to build houses. And houses aren’t all they hope to build… some developers may be hoping to build tourist facilities on this scorched land. The Greek government is pursuing an investigation into the causes of the fires, also considering terrorism and organized crime as motives.
Will Tourism in Greece Burn Out?
Tourism is a major source of revenue for Greece, and 73% of its GDP comes from the service industry. Fires devastating villages and olive groves, mountains, and buildings, could have a profound effect on Greek tourism. Let alone all of the tourists in just this past week that fled Greece to escape the fires and cut their vacation plans short. Once the fires are put out, the hardest part of the disaster may be the recovery. With the Greek people working to rebuild, the tourism industry may lag. And many tourists hoping to visit Greece in the coming months may not make the trip after all.
But if there is one thing Greece should not be worried about it is attracting tourists. The beauty of the country and its people easily keep any first-time visitor wishing to return-- to explore more of the rugged landscape of mainland Greece and the paradise of the islands.
Luckily, Ancient Olympia will still be there thanks to the hard work of fire fighters and volunteers. May it be around for hundreds of years to come.
Note: My photos of Olympia and Platanos were taken in June 2007. To see photos of the area devastated by fires, go to http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20450608/displaymode/1107/s/2/
