british tourist rhodes

Rhodes wildfires: British tourist says trying to escape the flames 'was literally like the end of the world'

Ian Murison says the scene as the ash cloud passed over his resort was like "a movie", and that when it came to clambering on to an escape boat, hundreds of people were left behind.

By Chris Lockyer and James Robinson, news reporters

Sunday 23 July 2023 11:25, UK

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Escaping the wildfires in Rhodes felt like "the end of the world", a British tourist has told Sky News. 

Extreme heat has triggered a number of fires across the region, with the countryside on the island burning for the past five days.

The Greek government says 19,000 people have been evacuated - 16,000 by land and 3,000 by sea - in what it describes as the "largest ever" wildfire evacuation in Greece's history.

A number of locations on the east of the island have been evacuated , including three seaside resorts.

Holidaymakers evacuated; situation expected to get worse - latest on Rhodes wildfires

Around 2,000 tourists have been evacuated from Kiotari and Lardos on the island's south east coast.

A new alert is in place for Lindos, a town popular with tourists and famed for its hilltop acropolis which has its roots back as far as 300BC, as well as the villages of Massari, Malonas, Charaki.

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• Rhodes wildfires

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is urging Britons on the island to follow the advice of Greek emergency services and to contact the consulate for advice on leaving Rhodes.

Jet2 has cancelled all of its flights and holidays due to depart to Rhodes up to and including 30 July, with customers set to be given a full refund.

"We will fly those aircraft to Rhodes with no customers onboard, so that we can continue to bring customers back to the UK on their scheduled flights," the holiday firm added.

Tui has also cancelled its flights, while Thomas Cook says it will cancel and refund all holidays to the areas of Kiotari and Lardos until 31 July.

But easyJet and Ryanair have not cancelled flights, instead promising to work with local authorities to help their affected customers.

Ian Murison, from London, was staying in the Kiotari area of Rhodes, when he noticed the dark clouds pass over his hotel while having dinner on Thursday evening.

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Two days later on Saturday, Mr Murison said he was having breakfast on the beach when he noticed the orange sky again, telling Sky News from his rescue boat: "We noticed that the sea had started to become black with soot and actually people were coming out of the sea noticing ash was falling on to their heads.

"I can only describe it as almost a movie experience where everyone's looking into the sky as it got a very strange orange colour, and everybody was just looking around going, 'what's going on?'."

Read more: Evacuee 'lost everything' British family spent night on floor What rights to holidaymakers have?

He said his family went to start packing their bags when an evacuation notice sounded - but the hotel manager said they should remain at the hotel instead.

After that, a coach arrived to take women and children away from the resort, but Mr Murison said only 100 or so of the estimated 1,200 people were able to get on board.

He explained how his family walked down the road for around five kilometres and managed to get a ride to nearby Gennadi beach.

"When we arrived, it was just a few hundred people - there were a couple of cafes and bars and they were serving beers and soft drinks, and everybody was just happy, thinking 'great, we've got away from the fire'.

"And then over the next few hours, the amount of people in that area just increased and increased, and then as light fell, people became increasingly anxious about how they were going to get out from this."

'It was like the end of the world'

Mr Murison said they were told boats were on their way to collect them, triggering a rush of people to a nearby car park.

"It was literally like the end of the world," he said.

"And the flames were now far more visible because of course it's night-time and we couldn't see that during the day.

"Suddenly there were leaping flames into the sky, and the sky was completely orange in the distance - so that sort of set about a level of panic."

'The beach was littered with suitcases'

Mr Murison and his family made it on to one of the small boats that were taking people to bigger vessels to transport them north to Rhodes Town.

"There were still hundreds of people, maybe a thousand people, on the beach when we left it, and the place was littered with suitcases because they were throwing them off the boats."

Reflecting on his ordeal, Mr Murison said: "The mood was general panic".

"By the time it gets to getting on to the boats and things like that, there's a lot of pushing and shoving, and there's a lot of people, a lot of children crying as well.

"So I'm glad that's all behind us now. Hopefully we can just finish up... in a bit of a calmer mood."

Europe sends support

Work continues in Rhodes to fight the inferno, with more than 200 firefighters and 40 fire engines operating on the ground, assisted by three planes and five helicopters.

The force includes 31 firefighters from Slovakia, with five fire engines.

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Israel, Jordan and Turkey have also sent reinforcements, mostly aerial equipment.

Three coastguard vessels, plus one from the army, were evacuating people from two beaches on Saturday.

More than 20 private boats were also assisting, and the Greek navy was sending a vessel.

Evacuation orders in place

The wildfires had previously been confined to the Greek island's mountainous centre - but quickly spread towards seaside resorts on its central-eastern side.

Fire Service spokesman Yannis Artopios said on Saturday afternoon that residents of four areas had been sent SMS messages to evacuate.

In two areas, people were told to move to the north-east and in two others to the south-west.

"If you are in the areas of Peifkoi, Lindosand Kalathos, evacuate now to Archangelos. Forest fire in your area," he said.

Coastguard vessels and more than 30 private boats evacuated at least 2,000 people, including tourists, from beaches close to the areas of Kiotari and Lardos, coastguard spokesman Nikos Alexiou told Skai television.

Greek officials say evacuated locals and visitors have been redirected to hotels, conference centres, schools and other public spaces.

A temporary centre to help those who have lost their travel documents during the evacuation to travel home has been set up at Rhodes airport.

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THE GUNS OF NAVARONE (1961)

This film was a major box office success and became one of the 1961 most important films. Many famous actors starred, like Gregory Peck, David Niven, Anthony Quinn, Stanley Baker, and Irene Papas.

DIRECTOR: J. LEE THOMPSON FILMING LOCATION: RHODES

ESCAPE TO ATHENA (1979)

The movie is set during the II WW. It is an adventure war film with some comedy elements about a strong Greek resistant movement that took place on a small island. This movement prepares the landing of the Allies and plans to overtake a prisoner camp, run by an Austrian general (Roger Moore). This Austrian general loves antiques and actually has forced his prisoners to work in archaeological excavations, in exchange for a more comfortable treatment. Also starred Terry Savalas, Claudia Cardinale, and David Niven.

DIRECTOR: GEORGE COSMATOS FILMING LOCATION: RHODES, CORFU, HALKIDIKI

HIGH SEASON (1987)

On the island of Rhodes, an expatriate English photographer lives with her daughter. A young local wants to encourage tourism, so he commissions a sculpture of the Unknown Tourist for the town square; the sculptor he brings to Rhodes is photographer's ex-husband...

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Greece launches ‘free’ holidays for tourists who fled 2023 Rhodes wildfires

Up to 25,000 holidaymakers, mainly from Britain, in line for vouchers to cover a week’s hotel stay

It has required new legislation and navigation of copious red tape but nine months after wildfires devastated Rhodes , Greece has launched the first “free” holidays for thousands of tourists forced to flee the island.

In a decision tourism officials call a world first, up to 25,000 affected holidaymakers will, as of this week, be eligible for compensation.

“The scheme is up and running as the prime minister promised,” the Greek tourism ministry’s general secretary, Myron Flouris, told the Guardian. “It’s been a very complicated process not least, I think, because we’re the first country in the world to do this.”

Under the programme , people who stayed in hotels that were evacuated because of the July fires will be able to redeem e-vouchers worth up to €500 to cover the accommodation charges of a week-long stay. The initiative will be run in two phases: between now and 31 May and 1 October to 15 November.

Take-up has already been strong, tourism officials in Rhodes say, with more than 5,000 holidaymakers enrolling on the scheme’s register of beneficiaries. “Anyone who was staying in areas that were affected by the fires is eligible,” said Yannis Papavasiliou, who heads the island’s union of hoteliers. “The response has been very good and we are told will be even stronger come the autumn.”

He said compensation would reflect the amount clients originally paid to tour operators and would range from €300 to €500. “It will apply only to hotels, not Airbnb-style private accommodation. At the end of the day Greece is making good on its promise to recompense all those who lost their holidays because of climate change.”

The country’s centre-right government, led by Kyriakos Mitsotakis, announced the initiative on ITV’s Good Morning Britain within days of thousands of stranded holidaymakers being forced to cut short their trips as the wildfires raged.

Most of those put on repatriation flights were Britons.

Visiting the island on Monday, Mitsotakis, who ordered the mass evacuation as a preventive measure, said wildfires would inevitably increase as a result of the climate emergency. “All of the Mediterranean is a hotspot for climate change. That, statistically, means we will have more fires and probably more floods,” he told a conference organised in Rhodes by the European Travel Commission under the fitting title: EU Tourism: Resilience in the Era of the Climate Crisis.

What mattered most was human life, the Greek leader said. “It wasn’t easy … to evacuate 25,000 visitors but we did it safely and we are very proud of the fact that we managed to confront this crisis essentially without mourning [the loss] of human life.”

One UK holidaymaker planning to take up the offer is Sara van Oostrum, a business owner from Hampshire, and her partner, though she said her daughter would not be joining as she felt traumatised by the experience. “We thought at the time our daughter was dealing really well, but on reflection children are funny things, they’re like sponges and take in everything and it doesn’t come out till afterwards – she doesn’t want to return,” she said.

Last August, the family were evacuated from a smoke-filled hotel in which they were handed masks and wet towels to prevent inhalation, before walking for four hours in 34C heat to another hotel, from which they were also evacuated as it became surrounded by flames. They spent the night sleeping on a floor, and the following day learned that they had to wait three days for a repatriation flight.

Since the Greek government announced the initiative last year, Van Oostrum has been messaging her tour operator, Tui, and was only recently able to get further information about the voucher. She is confused by the terms of the offer, including which hotels will be available, whether she will receive a free trip or a discount, and whether it covers children.

She said the couple had “mixed feelings” about whether to return to the hotel and beach they stayed at. “We’d probably prefer to stay elsewhere on the island to move on from the whole experience,” she said, adding: “They want to encourage people back, which is nice. We’ll take up the offer, and we’ll spend money on the island.”

Although many UK holidaymakers visit Rhodes with tour operators, including Jet2, TUI and Thomas Cook, they are expected to liaise directly with the Greek government to obtain their vouchers. TUI said its customers should individually contact the Greek government online, while Thomas Cook said the process was managed by the Greek tourist board, Rhodes authorities and participating hoteliers, rather than its team.

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15-day 4-star tour of Rhodes and the Aegean

Rhodes (world heritage) – lindos – pamukkale (world heritage) – hierapolis (world heritage) – aphrodisias (world heritage) – ephesus (world heritage) – aegean, day 1: arrival in rhodes and transfer to your star hotel.

Welcome to the Island of the Sun God! Our friendly, English-speaking tour guide will meet us at the airport and escort us directly to our star hotel in Rhodes, where we will spend the first three nights.

Day 2: Rhodes – Old Town (UNESCO World Heritage), Mandraki harbour & Wonder of the World, the Colossus of Rhodes

At the beginning of the day, we explore the fascinating history of one of the oldest and largest mediaeval cities in Europe during an orientation tour. Rhodes Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Strolling through the small alleys with historical relics from ancient times, we are transported back in time. We admire Mandraki harbour, where it is believed that the monumental Colossus of Rhodes – one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World – once towered more than 33 yd into the sky. The two statues of the stag Elafos and the hind Elafina are known as landmarks of the harbour. Other highlights of the city are the knights‘ street, the bishop’s palace, the Murad-Reis mosque and the famous Grand Master’s Palace. Built by the Knights of St John, the former seat of government is now a museum. The imposing city wall is also a highlight of the sun-drenched island.

Day 3: Lindos – Old Town & Acropolis

Today we explore the town of Lindos, considered the pearl of Rhodes. Lindos conveys the millennium-long Greek tradition, closely associated with music, dance, ouzo and coffee, in all its naturalness and openness. After a panoramic drive along the coast we reach the picturesque village which, with its snow-white houses, the enthroned acropolis and the beautiful bays, is rightly the most popular place on the whole island. During a walk we marvel at the mediaeval old town and become part of the Greek philosophy of life. The many small shops, coffee houses and sociable locals enchant us with their southern flair. Not far from the Acropolis is one of the most beautiful bays on the entire island of Rhodes, Agios Pavlos Bay, where St Paul is also said to have been stranded.

Day 4: Panoramic cruise on a catamaran, Marmaris, Hierapolis & Pamukkale (UNESCO World Heritage)

First we enjoy a wonderful panoramic crossing in a modern catamaran. Marmaris and the enchanting Turkish Aegean welcome us with their beautiful islands, forests and bays. We travel past beautiful landscapes on to Pamukkale. The town is famous for its unique limestone terraces and thermal springs, which we will of course visit (admission included). Right next door, a spectacular visit to the ancient „Holy City“ of Hierapolis (admission included) awaits us, which is also a UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage Site. We spend the night in a thermal hotel in Pamukkale.

Day 5: Aphrodisias (UNESCO World Heritage) & Meander level

In the morning we reach the ancient city of Aphrodisias (admission included), the capital of Caria and home to artists and sculptors, which is one of the best preserved ancient cities in the world. It is rightly a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The mighty stadium, the imposing tetrapylon, the agora and the theatre with inscriptions are just some of the treasures of this impressive ruined city that will inspire us. We will also visit a traditional carpet knotting factory and marvel at this centuries-old craft. We then drive through the beautiful plain of the River Meander to Kusadasi, where we spend three nights with star comfort.

Day 6 – 7: Ephesus (UNESCO World Heritage) & Wonder of the World, the Temple of Artemis

Day 6 begins with a visit to the legendary ancient city of Ephesus (UNESCO World Heritage Site, admission included). The Odeon, Curetes Street, Hadrian’s temple, the Fountain of Trajan, the Library of Celsus, the Agora, Marble Street and the large theatre, where Paul the Apostle delivered a speech, are among the city’s most notable edifices. We will then discover the impressive ruins of the Temple of Artemis (admission included), one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World. Afterwards, the great craft tradition takes us to a jewellery and a leather atelier. When we are there, we will find out some interesting things about manufacturing and will have the opportunity to select a personal holiday souvenir. On day 7 we enjoy our dream hotel or discover the surroundings on our own. A visit to the oracle temple Didyma and the picturesque town Tire is certainly worthwhile.

Day 8 – 15: FREE Rhodes – extended holiday in an exclusive 4-star hotel

After breakfast we take a panoramic catamaran crossing back to the island of Rhodes. Once there, we move into our exclusive 4-star hotel right next to the beach. Here we can enjoy wonderful relaxation over the coming days. We can enjoy the amenities of our hotel. Take a break by the outdoor or indoor pool, or go for a leisurely stroll along the beach. On the 15th day, we will be transferred directly to the airport for the return flight.

Package includes:

• Return flights with a reputable airline³ to and from Rhodes, incl. hotel transfers
• 7-day cultural tour of Rhodes & the Aegean with 2 Ancient Wonders of the World and the 4 most famous UNESCO World Heritage Sites – 7 nights in a double room in selected 4- and 5-star hotels (national category) – 7× tasty breakfast – Round trip in our modern and air-conditioned travel coach with qualified, English-speaking cultural tour guide – Panoramic catamaran crossing from Rhodes to the Turkish Aegean and back – Spectacular range of excursions + admissions (as per itinerary), incl.: • Rhodes Old Town (World Heritage) • Pamukkale (World Heritage) • Hierapolis (World Heritage) • Aphrodisias (World Heritage) • Ephesus (World Heritage) • Marmaris • Temple of Artemis (World Wonder) • Mandraki Harbour (World Wonder) • Meander Plain • Lindos • Kusadasi
• OUR GIFT: FREE 8 days of relaxation in an exclusive 4-star hotel in Rhodes – 7 nights in a double room in an exclusive 4-star hotel (national category) – Free use of hotel facilities: attractive outdoor pool, heated indoor pool and much more – Qualified, English-speaking tour guide

On request, you can book our additional tours and services at special prices:

Gourmet package:

The package includes a delicious buffet every evening with international specialities during the 7-day cultural tour: only £ 159 per person.

Single room surcharge: £ 250 per person (subject to availability).

Our 4- and 5-star hotels for the cultural tour!

Our gift as an extended holiday: FREE 8 days of relaxation in an exclusive 4-star hotel in Rhodes!

Example hotels

Including a spectacular range of excursions!

Comparison of temperatures

General note:.

Below is an information overview. The conditions of entry, as well as the political and health situation, can change anywhere in the world at any time. We therefore recommend checking before your trip. Please check the website of the Foreign Office ( www.gov.uk ) before your departure.

Rhodes: 4th-largest Greek island, belonging to the Dodecanese group of islands I Türkiye: on the Mediterranean Sea on the border of Europe and Asia

Greece: Athens (population approx. 665,000) I Türkiye: Ankara (population approx. 5.5 million)

Form of government:

Greece: Parliamentary republic I Türkiye: Republic/Parliamentary Republic

Greece: 97 % Orthodox I Türkiye: 98 % Islam

Greece: Greek as official language I Türkiye: Turkish as official language

Greece: Sunny, Mediterranean climate I Türkiye: Subtropical climate

Local time:

Greece is two hours ahead of UK time, all year round. The time zone in Türkiye is GMT +3 hours with no daylight saving time.

Electricity:

Greece: 230 V alternating current, 50 HZ. An adapter is necessary. | Türkiye: The supply voltage is 220 V, 50 HZ. An adapter is necessary.

Making telephone calls:

The country code for Greece is 0030 and for Türkiye 0090 with the zero cancelled before the area code. If you are calling the UK from Greece or Türkiye, please dial 0044 and the area code without the zero.

Country and people:

Few countries have such a rich history as Greece and Türkiye. No trip to Türkiye would be complete without a visit to the Turkish bazaars to soak up the oriental flair. The handmade carpets, jewellery and leather goods are an integral part and to some extent centuries-old tradition of the oriental culture – which is why our tour also includes a visit to a jewellery maker, a leather merchant and a traditional carpet weaver. Here you will find out fascinating facts about the Turkish art of carpet weaving and see how hand-woven carpets have been made throughout the generations. In interesting demonstrations, you will learn more about preparing the silk threads, natural wool dyeing and very intricate and elaborate tying with the renowned ”Turkish knot”. You will then get to spend one to two hours in the respective factories looking at the works of art and products. Bartering is a typical Turkish custom. If you are not interested in buying anything, the traders will also accept a clear no. No bartering takes place in department stores and supermarkets, or at markets where local farmers sell their vegetables. In Türkiye and Greece, it is customary to give tips. Similar to the USA, this forms part of their income for people working in the sector. Moreover, it symbolizes recognition for the service provided. One can tip chambermaids £1 to £2 per night. In a restaurant or taxi, tipping around 10% of the billed sum is customary. Tips are not given in shops. On group trips, the suggested sum for a tour guide could be £2 per person per day. While for bus drivers the appropriate sum is around £1 to £2 per day per person. Of course, everyone may decide for themselves whether and how much of a tip they wish to give.

Entry requirements for British citizens:

British Citizens travelling to Greece and Türkiye for tourist purposes are able to travel without a visa for visits of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Your passport must be issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the ‘date of issue’) and should be valid for at least 150 days from the date you arrive (in Türkiye) and there should be a full blank page for the Turkish entry and exit stamps. Check your passport is stamped if you enter or exit the Schengen area through Greece as a visitor. Border guards will use passport stamps to check you are complying with the 90-day visa-free limit for short stays in the Schengen area. If relevant entry or exit stamps are not in your passport, border guards will presume that you have overstayed your visa-free limit. Nationals of other countries are advised to enquire at the Greek and Turkish Embassy about the entry requirements applicable to them. Customers are reminded that it is their sole responsibility to make sure that passport and visa entry requirements for the country or countries that they are visiting are satisfied and we can not be responsible for any problems encountered (whether at any point of entry or elsewhere) in the event that passport and visa requirements are not satisfied. Regulations in respect of passport and visa requirements for Greece are the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs whose Website is https://www.mfa.gr/en/index.html . If you hold a different type of British nationality (BN(O), British Overseas Citizen, British Protected Person or British Subject), check visa requirements with the Greek Embassy before you travel. Regulations in respect of passport and visa requirements for Türkiye are the responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye (“MFA”) whose website is at www.mfa.gov.tr . However, passport and visa requirements change from time to time and depend on the purpose of your visit and your nationality. Whilst we endeavour to provide guidance where necessary. For up-to-date information on entry requirements, please visit https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ . The EU has a new visa waiver system, called ETIAS, which will be valid for three years. British passport holders travelling to the EU will need to apply and pay for an ETIAS, via an online system ( https://etias.com/ ).

Tour guides:

Additional packages:, tourist tax:.

In Greece, a climate protection fee of up to €10 (£ 8.55) per room per night applies from 1 March to 31 October for 4- and 5-star hotels. Outside of this period, the state spa and city tax of up to €4 (£ 3.40) per room per night applies (as of January 2024).

Currency/Banks/Credit cards:

Greece is a member of the EU. The currency is the Euro. Exchange rate (as at February 2024): 1 GBP = 1.17 Euro; 1 Euro = 0.85 GBP. Bank opening times are Monday – Thursday 08:00 – 14:00, Friday 08:00 – 13:30. In major cities opening hours are sometimes longer. Popular credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard and American Express are accepted almost everywhere. A debit card and PIN number can be used to withdraw cash from cash machines for a fee. Cards bearing the Cirrus or Maestro symbol are also accepted as means of payment. CAUTION: When paying with debit or credit cards, we recommend vigilance against fraudsters who will secretly try to copy tourists‘ bank cards and spy out the associated PIN so that they can then withdraw cash from cash machines using a cloned card. Travellers are therefore advised when paying by card to always keep their card in sight and to conceal the PIN when entering it. Caution is advised when using debit and credit cards with a PIN in currency exchanges. Türkiye : Since 1 January 2009, the currency is once again called the Turkish lira (TRY). Exchange rate (as of February 2024): 1 GBP = 39,23 TRY; 1 TRY = 0.03 GBP. Money can be exchanged at banks during opening hours. Another option to change currency is offered at larger hotels. Bank opening hours: Mon – Fri from 8.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m., 1.30 to 5.30 p.m. Cash can be withdrawn from cash machines using established international credit cards like Visa, Mastercard, American Express; the usage of debit cards is only possible with some machines. Credit cards are usually also accepted in the larger hotels, various shops and international car rental offices.

Customs regulations:

Greece: There are a number of products which have entry or exit limitations in Greece from outside the European Union. These include cultural goods, wild fauna and flora and products derived from these, vegetables and plant products, weapons and ammunition, medicines, tobacco and alcoholic beverages (please note the alcohol and cigarette allowances). You cannot take meat, milk or products containing them into EU countries. In terms of medications, only those necessary for personal use are allowed, and they must be accompanied by a copy of the prescription or medical report. Türkiye: The import of foreign currency is unlimited. As for exporting currency, a total amount of 5,000 US dollars or the equivalent in TRY is permitted. Travellers may import and export personal jewellery to a total value of 15,000 US dollars. Any value higher than this must be declared when entering the country. Documentation is required for purchases made in Türkiye. Important: If you are travelling to Great Britain from outside the UK, your personal allowances mean you can bring in a certain amount of goods without paying tax or duty. If you go over your allowances you must declare all your goods and pay tax and duty on all the goods in that category. Please inform yourself about the current customs regulations: http://www.gov.uk/bringing-goods-into-uk-personal-use/arriving-in-Great-Britain .

Safety information specific to Türkiye:

British citizens wishing to stay in or travel to Türkiye are generally recommended to keep an eye on the security situation, these travel and safety instructions and on reports in the media. Groups of people gathering, including on public squares and in front of tourist attractions, as well as hanging around near government and military buildings should be avoided. Following the failed violent attempted coup, there have been isolated incidents of aggressive attacks by followers of certain political parties on people with supposedly different views. We strongly recommend remaining vigilant for such escalations, distancing yourself from the situation as quickly as possible and finding a secure location.

Special criminal law provisions:

Greece: The acquisition, possession, import or export of drugs (even in small quantities) is severely punished. Photographing military installations and important civilian facilities (airports / ports) is prohibited due to the risk of spying. Violations will be prosecuted. For cases of theft, deliberate or negligent damage, illegal excavation and removal from the site (i.e. without permission or notification to the authorities) of archaeological finds, prison sentences of up to several years can also be imposed on foreigners, depending on the severity of the offence. Türkiye: The purchase, possession and export of “cultural and natural properties” is severely punished (prison sentence of up to 10 years), as these properties are regarded as state-owned assets. In case of violation, several months of custody and high bail fees (currently approx. 7,000 GBP) are common procedure for tourists, too, even if they hold antiques or old objects of supposed small value. In individual cases, prison sentences are imposed. You are therefore urgently warned not to acquire or take along antiques, old coins, fossils, etc. from retailers. It is strongly advised against making political statements in public against the Turkish state or expressing sympathy with terrorist organisations.

Medical information:

At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the latest country-specific health advice from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) on the TravelHealthPro website ( https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries ). Each countryspecific page has information on vaccine recommendations, any current health risks or outbreaks, and factsheets with information on staying healthy abroad. Caution is advised when eating uncooked food, unpasteurised milk (e.g. fresh milk, ice cream) and fruit that can’t be peeled. Please avoid drinking tap water and ice cubes in drinks! Rule of thumb: don’t eat anything that cannot be cooked or peeled!

Medical care:

Greece: Anyone entitled to free healthcare in the UK is also entitled to treatment in Greece – if it is urgently required – from doctors, dentists, hospitals, and so on that are approved by the foreign statutory health insurance company. You should get a free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. If you already have an EHIC it will still be valid as long as it remains in date. You can also contact your health insurance company for information on current regulations. Nonetheless, you are urgently recommended to take out travel health insurance for the duration of your holiday which covers risks not assumed by the statutory health insurance companies. Such policies usually also offer benefits not covered by state health insurance companies, e.g. the costs of repatriation. Türkiye: Medical treatment options in the country‘s major cities and tourist regions have improved significantly in recent years. In particular, the large number of private hospitals offer a level approaching that of Europe. In many cases, medical care in rural areas cannot be compared to Western Europe and can be problematic in terms of technology, equipment and hygiene. Any valid health insurance cover you may have (foreign health insurance certificate) is often not sufficient. It is therefore strongly advised to take out private travel health insurance and reliable travel repatriation insurance. In private clinics, it is common to ask for a covered credit card or cash before starting treatment. An individual first-aid kit should be taken along and appropriately protected from the hot temperatures while travelling. An individual consultation with a tropical medicine doctor or travel medicine specialist is also advisable.

Customers must ensure that they are in good physical and mental health in line with the trip in question. Customers must enquire about the physical mobility and psychological autonomy required for this trip.

All information is subject to change/Last updated: February 2024

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After the wildfires: Greece prays for tourism as islanders sift through the ashes

Residents fear hard months may lie ahead after fires hit peak holiday season, reports andy gregory, article bookmarked.

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A nd just like that, it’s gone,” 75-year-old Elpida Voyatzis said softly, standing outside her home in Kiotari – a town left devastated by the wildfires that raged for 10 straight days on the island of Rhodes.

Where once there were acres of trees and vines bursting with grapes, olives, pomegranates and figs, where Elpida and her husband have spent the past 20 years nurturing a bountiful farm, is now a waste land devoid of all but a single tree.

While the flames stopped just a few metres short of her home and holiday apartments, behind her lay the burnt-out husks of close to a dozen houses overlooking the beach – the final point in a path of destruction forged by the fire at terrifying speed.

The inferno’s rapid advance forced the mass evacuation of British tourists from resorts in the island’s southeast – with accounts of holidaymakers fleeing for miles along beaches in the middle of the night, leading tour operators to cancel thousands of people’s trips this week.

But with the blazes now largely under control , and the damage confined to just a handful of hotels, the fear for many residents is that tourists could be unnecessarily hesitant to visit the island – whose economy is almost entirely fuelled by the summer holiday trade.

• The climate crisis will irrevocably change how we holiday: Here’s what the future of travel looks like
• Britons face ‘absolute nightmare’ trying to get refunds for Rhodes holidays

For those in the few villages hit by the fire, such as Kiotari, the impact is clear.

“What a disaster,” said Elpida, adding: “We told [our rental apartment visitors] not to come, because what are they coming to? To see what sights? It’s going to be depressing for them. The tourist season is over for us.”

Her daughter, Fedra, who emigrated from Canada with her husband to take over the farm just months ago, hopes that with regenerative practices it could take five years – rather than another 20 – to regrow. Her other income stream, a school she opened on the farm to teach locals English and outdoor education, has also been destroyed in the fire.

“People’s livelihoods, they’re literally in ashes,” said Nicole, a 44-year-old wedding planner, whose home was among those in Kiotari reduced to rubble and embers by the fires. “If you have money, you can regain everything. If you don’t have money, I don’t know where you will start.”

Pointing to the three months of €534 (£460) in support for those impacted by the fire announced by Greek labour minister Adonis Georgiadis, Nicole said of the wider community in Kiotari: “So we’re going to live on €1,500 euros for a family of five.”

“We’re grateful for any help,” she added, “but it won’t sustain what people have lost.”

Because of the mass evacuation and decision by tour operators to cancel holidays this week, those living in areas untouched by the fire are also feeling the squeeze, and are anxiously hoping visitor numbers will bounce back rapidly.

Most businesses make their money for the year during the six summer months, with July and August the season’s peak, and those that The Independent spoke to in towns in the south of Rhodes without exception feared a difficult winter could lie ahead.

“Rhodes is a huge island, but everyone is reliant on tourism ,” said Antonis Chatzimichalis, a 21-year-old University College London master’s student from the town of Archangelos, who had been volunteering at the evacuation centre set up for displaced tourists and locals. “It’s like a chain – the suppliers, the local people, restaurants, everyone [needs tourism].”

Argedis and Katarini Ganotakis, aged 63 and 56, have owned hotels in nearby Pefkos since 2002, and run a restaurant in the picturesque cliffside village of Lindos, where British tourists were evacuated last week.

While Lindos was untouched by the fire, the week’s cancellations cost the family “a lot”, he said, adding: “If the lack of customers lasts five to 10 days, we can keep our staff. But longer – it’s a problem. If we go longer than 10 days without people in our hotels, the business cannot keep them on … [it] must close. Then everybody loses.”

The owner of one of several gift shops in Lindos said her sales had fallen 70 per cent this week, while Mariana Nefeli, who has owned a neighbouring restaurant for 34 years, added: “After Covid it was two years without work, and now this happens again.”

Eirini Kousoulini, a restaurant owner in Malonas, a village narrowly saved from the fire, said “everybody” is worried about a hit to tourism. The winter will be hard, she added, “because everything is very expensive – life, the supermarkets, electricity, everything … I have to work 18 hours here every day.”

But Rhodes deputy mayor Konstantinos Taraslias was sanguine about the impact on those in areas not hit directly by the fires and cancellations.

“The loss is in this area,” he said, circling the evacuated region on a map on his office desk. “Everything else is OK.” Other areas will only see a knock-on effect if “the tourists don’t book to come to Rhodes because they think it is a disaster [zone]”, he said, adding: “Of course that would be a catastrophe for the economy.”

Pointing to the fact that just 10,000 of Rhodes’ 220,000 hotel beds are in the affected area, he insisted that some damaged hotels will reopen in just one or two weeks’ time, with hopes to extend this year’s tourist season until November. “We will lose seven days. Seven days is no problem,” he said.

“Yesterday I was talking with the local Jet2 agent, and they said: ‘Starting from Monday, business as usual.’ That’s a very good message, it’s very important.”

Alongside the €534 payments, those who have seen their property and livelihoods destroyed by the fire “won’t have to pay taxes for a long time”, and the regional authorities will work to rebuild the surrounding area, Mr Taraslias said.

But anger at the regional government is running high in Rhodes, with many blaming a sluggish initial response to the fire and poor forest management spanning decades for how far the blaze was able to spread.

Alongside trained firefighters, the heroes of the hour are deemed across Rhodes to be the thousands of civilians who have fearlessly taught themselves to beat back the fires over 10 consecutive days and nights.

“If we didn’t have all the volunteers, all of the island would have been burnt, that’s for sure,” said Stavros, a 48-year-old teacher from the northeastern city of Rhodes, as he rested in the front line village of Vati between trips into the hills to douse new flare-ups with his 18-year-old son.

As well as their homes and livelihoods, civilian firefighters in Rhodes have been fighting to protect the animals with who they share the island, and whose charred carcasses were visible from the roadside earlier this week.

Among them is the dama-dama deer, a protected species unique to Rhodes and viewed as a symbol of the island. Some had been taken to safety by volunteers, who left the animals bowls of water and food among the smouldering hills.

Pantelis Saroukos, a volunteer firefighter, drove The Independent through nearby hills where he – along with many other beekeepers – had brought his hives each summer for the past five years, due to the abundant thyme growing there, now irrecoverably scorched by flames. “This is the worst sight to see,” he said, gazing at all that remained of the precious herbs.

While Pantelis, aged 45, was able to rescue his hives before the fire reached them, a fellow beekeeper several kilometres away near the village of Asklipio was not so lucky. “If I was this beekeeper, I would not bring my bees back here ever in my life,” said Pantelis, lamenting that it would take 25 to 30 years for the landscape to regrow. “Maybe his grandchildren can.”

He mused: “Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis was proud to say no lives were lost before the Canadair crash [which killed two pilots near Athens this week]. But I don’t know if someone told him about the deer, donkeys, tortoises – thousands of animals have been killed.”

A fish farmer by trade, Pantelis expressed concern over the toxic impact of the fire debris upon the fish and other aquatic life as it washes into the rivers and sea.

He is not alone in fearing what autumn’s rains will bring – with several locals warning that the first heavy rainfall on drought-parched and fire-scorched earth could cause floods and landslides, hitting towns and villages, as happened after last year’s huge fires in Evia, near Athens.

Work is under way to prevent flooding with irrigation channels to steer rainwater away from settlements, the deputy mayor said, stressing the importance of properly clearing the area of debris and carefully planning how the forests should be regrown.

Noting that a discussion around better forest management must take place, Mr Taraslias criticised a belief among officials that preserving nature meant not cutting a single more tree than necessary. “We must find a way to clean the forests,” he said, rather than allow them to become dense with flammable pine needles.

• Winds fuel fire flare-ups in Rhodes as state of emergency declared across island
• More than 40 people killed as wildfires rage in nine Mediterranean countries in record heatwave

But some of the island’s residents, encouraged by the huge community push to fight this month’s wildfires – and who currently risk breaking the law by cutting down trees to create firebreaks – are eager to ensure that Rhodes does not suffer such a tragedy again.

“We have to better protect the forests, for our children, for our futures,” said Pantelis, driving through the incinerated landscape as embers smouldered and firefighting planes flew in the skies above. “We cannot wait for the government. We should take our future into our own hands.”

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