Ex-Yugoslav Tourists Unfazed by Greek Unrest

General strike in Greece | Photo by FoNet

"We go to Thassos [a Greek island in the northern Aegean] each year by car and no strike can make us change the habit," Marija Stevanovic, 42, an economist from Belgrade, says.  

She is one of thousands of people from Macedonia and Serbia who are still packing suitcases in order to spend another holiday in their favourite destination, Greece.

Greek unions have called a general strike in a bid to prevent the country's parliament from adopting harsh austerity measures at the behest of the EU and the IMF.

The biggest border crossing between Macedonia and Greece and Bogorodica-Evzoni was partly closed on Wednesday, creating big lines of tourists on both sides of the border. Vehicles were allowed across the border, but at a slow pace, because Greek customs officers have joined the general strike.

In addition, some flights from the main airport in Athens have also been cancelled.

Serbian and Macedonian tour operators, however, say few passengers are scrapping their travel arrangements.

"We have informed all passengers that go with our buses or with their own transport, depending on the destination in Greece, to use alternative border crossings in Macedonia or to go through Bulgaria," Aleksandar Vuckovic, from the Belgrade tourist agency, Argus, said.

Passengers are being advised to inform motoring associations in these countries prior to departure, because of the possibility that other border crossings from Macedonia to Greece will also be closed.

Greece is an attractive destination for Macedonian and Serbian toursits owing to its proximity and competitive prices, compared to some other countries in the region.

According to a survey clast year by Serbian National Association of Travel Agencies, 59 per cent Serbs prefer Greece for their summer holidays, followed by Spain [13 per cent[, Turkey [10 per cent], Egypt [8 per cent] and Montenegro, on only 3 per cent.

This summer, most Serbian visitors apear to heading for Halkidiki, in northern Greece, while other popular destinations are the islands of Corfu in the Ionian Sea and Thassos in the northern Aegean.