Kos Island

14/08/2015

Kos, 13/08/2015




Kos, a favored tourist destination, and the island of solidarity.

With the spotlight turned on the island of Kos, the main tourist destination which is facing a major population influx of refugees from the Turkish coast, the Mayor of the Island, Mr. George Kyritsis, made the following statement:

“Lately, Kos has welcomed refugees and migrants seeking refuge in Europe via Greece. The issue of the control and management of the migration flow is a European problem, and exceeds the capabilities of a small island like Kos.
However, with the concerted efforts of the local authorities, citizens, local entrepreneurs, to name but a few, we have managed for seven months to provide assistance and support to immigrants. Simultaneously, we have strived to combine tourism and local solidarity without upsetting the overall experience of visitors to our island.

In the last few days, the local authorities have set up fully equipped administrative offices in order to maximize the identification process so as to swiftly process refugee credentials. This was and is temporary, as a solution has been reached and the refugees are scheduled to depart from the island.
A small group of refugees, eager for their identification papers to be released in order to leave the island and continue their journey to other European countries, sparked fleeting and minor discord. With police intervention, and after order had been restored, the identification process continued to proceed as swiftly as possible and it should be duly noted that refugees on the island will have departed by Friday the 14th of August 2015.
It is worth noting that the aforementioned incident, which received considerable publicity, was an isolated occurrence, and was confined to the area in which the stadium is located only. The specific area in which the isolated incident arose is far removed from the thousands of tourists who safely enjoy their summer holidays on Kos and continue to experience our exceptional hospitality.

The identification of refugees and migrants takes place in a restricted area and does not under any circumstance disturb the regularity of local life. Kos is and remains the 4th most popular tourist destination in Greece and continues to await the welcome arrival of its guests.

Municipality of Kos
Press office

13/07/2015

News and information from the European Commission. Social media and data protection policy: http://europa.eu/!MnfFmT

08/07/2015

Thomas Cook: Tourists are Enjoying Holidays 'Without Disruption' in Greece

04/07/2015

Message from the Greek Minister of Tourism!!

03/07/2015

Travel Agents: No Mass Cancellations in Greek Tourism Sector

30/06/2015

Questions and Answers for Visitors to Greece

Q: We have seen that Greece is in the news. Should we be worried?

A: There is no reason to worry. There are no disruptions in tourist destinations, or in the operation of hotels and tourism-related activities. Holidays to Greece remain as safe and pleasant as they always have been. The latest political and economic developments affect local residents only. Visitors need not be concerned.


Q: What impact will the July 5 referendum have on our holiday?

A: From the moment that the referendum on Greece’s bailout terms was announced, the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) has reassured all guests currently in Greece or who have booked holidays in the coming days and weeks that they should remain confident that they will have the exceptional experience they are anticipating. For them, nothing has changed.


Q: Will we be able to withdraw money from ATMs?

A: The limits imposed on ATM withdrawals for Greeks do not affect visitors with international credit and debit cards, for which the daily withdrawal limits have not changed. There is a chance that some ATMs may temporarily run short of cash, due to increased demand over recent days. However, the Hellenic Bank Association has given assurances that ATMs will be replenished regularly and that isolated problems due to increased outflows will be dealt with efficiently.

Q: Can we use a credit card to pay hotel and travel bills, and daily expenses?

A: Yes, definitely, credit and debit cards will continue to operate as normal, with hotels, shops and services in Greece happy to accept them. For hotel expenses, you can charge services to your room as long as your credit card has the limit to settle them. It is also advisable to bring some extra cash with you.


Q: Can we charge other non-hotel services to our bill?

A: You can ask your hotel reception if this is possible. It will depend on whether your hotel accepts such transactions. You can certainly use cards to pay for non-hotel services or products. For urgent needs, some hotels could charge a higher amount, so please contact them for more details.


Q: Can we store our cash somewhere safe within the hotel?

A: Hotels are only accountable for the safes that they have near the reception area. Any money stored in your hotel room – in safes or anywhere else within the room – are not the hotel’s responsibility. So the best advice is to use the reception safe.

Q: Are there any issues with flights?

A: There are no indications that flights will be affected. In any case, any changes or delays to your flights would be determined by your airline or the tour operator through which you booked. We would advise you to contact your travel agent or tour operator, or even your hotel’s reservations department (if you booked in this way), for more details.


Q: Should we expect trouble or congestion at the airport?

A: No, there is no reason to expect congestion at the airport.

Q: Is it safe to move or drive around the area or should we stay in our resort?

A: All tourist destinations in Greece remain absolutely safe and unaffected by the referendum announcement. They remain – as they have always been – safe and beautiful. The answer to this question is no different than it would be at any other time.


Q: We would like to leave earlier than scheduled. What is the procedure?

A: You are free to leave earlier than intended, if you wish. But there would be a cancelation fee, as outlined in the relevant agreement with your travel agent/tour operator or with your hotel’s reservations department. Again, this is no different than it would be at any other time.


Q: Maybe we should cancel our upcoming booking. How do we do this?

A: You are free to cancel your booking, should you wish to. Again, however, there would be the usual cancelation fees as stipulated in your travel agent/tour operator or hotel agreement.

Q: Should we hold off paying for our holiday until a decision is made about Greece staying in the euro?

A: There is no reason at all for you to change your plans and the referendum is not about Greece staying in the euro. You should also note that this is the high season for holidays in Greece and there is a chance that you won’t find availability at latera date. In any case, your holiday experience in Greece now will be no different to visiting at any other time.

30/06/2015

Notification on Kos, Greece

With Greece being in the news regarding economic and political developments in recent days, the mayor of Kos has offered the following update in order for tour operators and travel agents to be able to accurately inform all potential visitors to the island.

“As confirmed by the Tourism Ministry on June 29, the capital controls imposed by the Greek government do not affect transactions or ATM withdrawals using debit or credit cards issued abroad. Visitors will, therefore, be able to use their cards as they would during any other visit to Greece at ATMs or through transactions at hotels and shops and for services,” said Kos Mayor Giorgos Kyritsis.

“Additionally, we can reassure all of our current and future visitors that Kos has ample fuel supplies and access to the products and services required to ensure that all its visitors fully enjoy their stay.”

He added: “Greece and Kos continue to guarantee a high level of quality of services for visitors, which have made our island a top tourist destination worldwide.”


Municipality of Kos
Press office

02/05/2014

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... την εφαρμογή στο κινητό ώστε όλα όσα σημειώσατε και όχι μόνο να τα έχετε μαζί σας όταν έρθετε στην Κω

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... kos.mobile , our mobile travel guide and browse all points of interest or follow your planned itineraries while on the island.