Greece To Compensate Those Affected By Wildfires With Free Trips

After last summer’s devastating wildfires on the island of Rhodes , thousands of tourists were impacted by sudden evacuations from hotels.

The fires not only disrupted their vacations but also posed safety concerns and logistical challenges. These events created a significant setback for tourism on the islands, affecting both holidaymakers and local businesses.

Now, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is delivering on his promise to compensate the 25,000 tourists who were evacuated.

Under the programme, those who were staying in hotels evacuated due to the fires will be able to take advantage of vouchers of up to €500 to cover accommodation for a week-long stay.

There will be two phases for those affected to redeem the initiative, from now until 31 May and from 1 October to 15 November.

Tourism officials in Rhodes say that over 5,000 of the impacted travellers have so far registered on the compensation scheme for vouchers ranging between €300 and €500.

How To Redeem Your Compensation

So, if your trip to the Greek island was cut short because of last year's wildfires, here’s what you need to do.

Digital vouchers are redeemable directly from the government, and they’ll cover a week’s hotel accommodation up to €500.

To qualify for the vouchers, travelers must join the Registry of Beneficiaries, which is maintained by hotels, travel agencies, and tour operators in the fire-affected area of Rhodes. This registry compiles the names of holidaymakers who were evacuated during the fires.

Once enrolled, applicants will receive a link to submit their application online. Upon approval, the voucher can be used to book a week's stay at a hotel of a similar category to the one they were evacuated from.

Unfortunately, if you reserved private homestay accommodation like an Airbnb, you will not qualify for compensation.

Another catch is that while the wildfires happened in the summer, the vouchers can only be used during Spring and Autumn. However, it's understandable that Greece prioritises its peak season for paying guests, given the country's heavy reliance on tourism.

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