With a press release in high tones, the tourist operators of Corfu express their anxiety about the course of tourism on the island, due to the many and significant problems observed in the middle of the tourist season.
As all tourism operators of the island (hoteliers, chamber of commerce, accommodation, guides, agents) note, there is strong concern and indignation about the situation in which the island has found itself.
What they report
In their communication the institutions state the following:
“With this press release, the tourism operators of Corfu express their strong concern and indignation about the situation in which our island has come. The continuous problems in the water supply and electricity networks, the unacceptable delays in waste collection and the intense traffic problem in and around the historic centre not only make life difficult for the residents, but also discredit our destination at an international level.
It is no longer possible to tolerate the indifference and incompetence of the competent authorities, which have historically proven to be inadequate in dealing with the island’s basic chronic infrastructure problems. The situation has reached a point of no return:
- Water and electricity supply: Constant water supply interruptions and long hours of power outages for maintenance in high season are unacceptable for a modern tourist destination. These interruptions not only cause inconvenience to residents and businesses, but also irreparably damage our tourist image.
- Waste collection: the waste situation is outrageous. The bins are overflowing and the streets in many places are full of rubbish. This image offends tourists and creates an extremely negative impression of our island, evoking memories of the recent past.
- Traffic Problem: Traffic congestion in the historic centre and surrounding areas during peak hours has become a daily point of negative comments from our visitors. We have heard for years about solutions with the primary one being that of regional parking but we are still waiting.
We demand immediate and drastic measures to improve the situation. Tourism is the main source of income for Corfu and we cannot tolerate further damage to the island’s reputation with consequences that will take years to reverse. Our patience has run out.
For the Main Tourism Bodies of Corfu
Dimitris Diavatis – President of the Association of Corfu Travel Agents AOCTA
Kostas Mouzakitis – President of the Ionian Federation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship
Pericles Katsaros – President of the Federation of Tourist Accommodation Owners of Corfu
Sissy Savvati – President of the Association of Diplomatic Tour Guides of the Ionian Islands and Western Greece
Bampi Voulgaris – President of the Corfu Hoteliers Association.
