Heat taking toll on tourism
Athens had never been as attractive a tourist destination as it is now. Not only that, but, according to surveys, visitors’ satisfaction from the city is increasing, despite well-known shortcomings – inadequate public spaces, noise and others – that one would think would be disqualifying.
But successive heatwaves, more frequent than ever, threaten to undermine this success. As a veteran hotel owner observes, when temperatures reach 36 degrees Celsius or more day after day, visitors, especially the older ones, are effectively barred from actively exploring the city from before noon to almost evening. And, as Kostas Lagouvardos, head of the Athens Observatory, notes, high temperatures persist even after midnight. “This summer is, weather-wise, extreme for our area,” he says.
There is a possibility that the peak of the tourist season could eventually shift, from July and August to milder months, some experts say.
