Travel professionals call for steps to avert ferry strike

The Federation of Hellenic Associations of Travel and Tourist Agencies (FedHATTA) sent a letter to the ministers of Shipping and Tourism on Monday appealing for action to avert a planned strike by the PNO union of dockworkers – which would result in passenger ferries being tied up across the country for an entire day on September 3 – and threats of further action.

Tourism professionals expect more than 3 million foreign tourists to visit Greece in September, the third most important month in the country’s season after August and July, accounting for around 10 percent of annual tourism revenues.

The strike, FedHATTA warned in its letter, would result in “chaos,” with “tourists missing their flights or being delayed in reaching their destinations and being subjected to an enormous hassle.”

This, it added, would harm the country’s reputation and “deal a blow to tourism.”