Numerous holidaymakers had to be evacuated last year due to the forest fires in Greece. The government in Athens wants to give these people a free vacation. But for most travelers the trip will still be an expensive pleasure.
Consumer advice centers have been warning for years about promises of profits, for example for vacation trips, that “come with a catch.” “The Greek government will offer everyone whose vacation had to be canceled due to the forest fires a week of free vacation in Rhodes next spring or autumn,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis promised at the beginning of August 2023 to tourists who had to spend their vacation days in the devastating forest fires Rhodes had lost.
In fact, there is money from the Greek state for affected tourists. But it doesn’t apply to everyone and it’s certainly not completely free.
“Rhodes Week” is the name of the program intended to lure tourists who were evacuated in the summer of 2023 back to the island of Rhodes. However, the evacuated tourists do not include all those who had to leave their accommodation due to official orders. Officially it says: “Rhodes Week is a program that provides financial assistance to individuals, regardless of their nationality, who stayed in hotels evacuated during the wildfires on Rhodes Island in July 2023.” Left out are travelers who, for example had rented a holiday villa or holiday apartment.
Regarding the other restrictions, the Ministry of Tourism explains: “In particular, the beneficiaries can secure free accommodation for seven consecutive days and six nights in Rhodes and in a hotel of their choice among the participants of the promotion in one of the following two periods: 1st period – Spring (from April 10, 2024 to May 31, 2024), 2nd period – Autumn (from October 1, 2024 to November 15, 2024).”
The spring period, which ends at the end of May, is not an option for parents of school-age children because it falls outside of the Easter holidays. This means that most families with children are left with only the autumn holidays. And then comes the next restriction. The travel must be paid for by the parents themselves and the recipients must choose one of 38 hotels from a list provided by the ministry.
You can only choose a hotel whose reviews correspond to what was booked for summer 2023. If you were in a three-star hotel back then, you have to visit one again this year. An upgrade or downgrade is therefore not possible. For inexpensive accommodation, such as the two-star Hotel Narkissos, at least 340 euros per room are due for six nights in the autumn period, according to the comparison site Booking.
The state subsidy is limited to 300 euros for a hotel with up to three stars. In addition to arrival and departure, you also have to pay for meals. For four stars, the state pays a subsidy of 400 euros. A corresponding hotel, such as the Ocean Blue Seaside Hotel, charges upwards of 678 euros for a week. Holidaymakers spend almost 300 euros on the hotel alone, with costs totaling many hundreds of euros.
The price differences are even more striking at luxury hostels, such as the Lindos Princess Beach Hotel. Here you will find out at Booking that there may be a refund. However, the cheapest room for a week costs 1,602 euros, with meals being all inclusive. The Greek government then gives 400 euros for the holiday fund – that is far from a “free” holiday.
The more expensive the vacation lost in the flames in 2023 was, the deeper you have to dig into your pockets for the trip “donated” by Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis. A rogue who thinks evil of it.
Before paying out and booking, applications must first be submitted to the Greek state. Then there is a voucher that should be handed in to the hotel participating in the program. The corresponding website is available in Greek and English. For German holidaymakers, who have been among the most loyal fans of Greek beaches for years, there is no translation of the bureaucratically complicated applications.