"It's not Mykonos," says tourist after silent night on Greek party island due to COVID measures

Record ID: 1627307

  • Title: "It's not Mykonos," says tourist after silent night on Greek party island due to COVID measures
  • Date: 18th July 2021
  • Summary: MYKONOS, GREECE (JULY 18, 2021) (REUTERS) MYKONOS FAMOUS WINDMILLS, PHOTOGRAPHER AND MODEL DOING A PHOTO SHOOT ON ISLAND PHOTOGRAPHER AND MODEL DOING PHOTO SHOOT WINDMILLS VARIOUS OF TOURISTS TAKING PHOTOS AT WINDMILLS SEASIDE VARIOUS OF A YACHT IN BAY VARIOUS OF ROOMS AND HOTELS BY THE SEA IN TOWN VARIOUS OF TOURISTS TAKING PICTURES EMPLOYEE CLEANING EMPTY BAR VARIOUS OF FAMILY WALKING IN TOWN VARIOUS OF WAITRESS FILLING ANTISEPTIC BOTTLES FOR TABLES TOURISTS SITTING AT CAFE IN TOWN BY THE SEA (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURISTS FROM FRANCE, NORA KISMOUNE (L) AND CHRISTELLE GIROD (R), SAYING: CHRISTELLE GIROD SAYING: "We love Mykonos, but this time is different, no music, no ambience - I don't know exactly how to say - it's different." NORA KISMOUNE SAYING: "It's not Mykonos." EMPTY STREET IN TOWN VARIOUS OF PAINTERS PAINTING WALLS VARIOUS OF TOURIST SHOPS, TOURISTS WALKING BY BUSES WAITING TO TAKE TOURISTS TO BEACHES VARIOUS OF TOURISTS WAITING IN LINE TO BOARD BUSES FOR BEACHES (SOUNDBITE) (English) GERMAN TOURIST JOHEN SAYING: "It's no good for the island, for Mykonos, for the business here, for the people who work here it's no good. People come here for the music, they want to dance on the beach party. For me, I am an old man, I go to different beaches and I have a quiet holiday, for me it's good." (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST FROM MOROCCO, MARIA, SAYING: "Well basically, yeah, it was a bit last minute, the way we found out, there will be, like, no parties and there will be restrictions at one a.m., but I think for the safety of everyone, personally, like, I don't mind, I think that it's for everyone's safety, and better be safe than sorry." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE ON BUS WAITING TO GO TO BEACH VARIOUS OF MYKONOS HEALTH CENTRE AND AMBULANCE VARIOUS OF BEACH WITH TOURISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ITALIAN TOURIST FRANCESCO GERALDI, SAYING: "A little bit sad, but at least we made 2 or 3 days before all of this happened. But yeah, it sucks a little bit, because we planned some activities, like come here to go to (famous night-club) Cavo tomorrow, and yeah, it sucks a little bit, but our trip will continue in Santorini, so hope it will be better, at least. " VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT THE BEACH
  • Embargoed: 1st August 2021 18:40
  • Keywords: Cycladiuc islands Greek islands beaches tourists windmills
  • Location: MYKONOS, GREECE
  • City: MYKONOS, GREECE
  • Country: Greece
  • Topics: Europe,Health/Medicine
  • Reuters ID: LVA001EMDBEPZ
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS SEE ALSO EDIT 7100 RELATED TO THIS STORY
    UDIO AS INCOMING
    Tourists in Mykonos were disappointed on Sunday (July 18) after spending a quiet night on the party island, after health authorities shut down music in bars and imposed a night curfew due to a rise in COVID infections.
    "We love Mykonos, but this time is different, no music, no ambience - I don't know exactly how to say - it's different," said French tourist Christelle Girod.
    "It's not Mykonos," said Nora Kismoune, also from France.
    Local officials said cancellations had begun and tourists were leaving for other islands, after the government put into force on Saturday (July 17) measures that ban music from restaurants and bars, where customers have to be seated, and an overnight curfew that would last for four hours. Businesses, angered by the move, were concerned that the already shortened season due to lockdowns and restrictions on travel would now suffer even more.
    "It's no good for the island, for Mykonos, for the business here, for the people who work here it's no good. People come here for the music, they want to dance," said Johen from Germany.
    Concerns also grew that the measures would also spread to other islands showing a rapid rise in infections. Tourism employs one in five in Greece. In a tweet, Greece's main opposition leader Alexis Tsipras called the measures an utter failure and said they send a negative signal for tourism.
    The country desperately needs a strong season this year following a collapse in visitor numbers and revenues to record lows in 2020. Mykonos is one of its most popular destinations, attracting more than a million visitors each summer, including the rich and famous.
    The measures are in place until the end of the month on the island. Greece is battling a rapid rise in infections in the last weeks and concerns over the spread of the Delta variant.
    (Production: Vassils Triandafyllou, Phoebe Fronista, Deborah Kyvrikosaios, Louiza Vardi)
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