ΤΠΣ ΔΗΜΟΥ ΣΙΚΙΝΟΥ - ΔΗΜΟΥ ΦΟΛΕΓΑΝΔΡΟΥ - ΔΗΜΟΥ ΙΗΤΩΝ

Why do tourists travel?

Why do tourists come to Greece?Tourists are people who travel to other places to see and experience different landscapes, cultures, cuisines, traditions, or just to enjoy themselves.Greece still provides all of the above in abundance, and visitors delight in getting to know this beautiful country.I know this, as I work in the hospitality industry, in a small whitewashed hotel on Ios, where guests always exclaim how charming the place is. Most of our guests, whether foreign or Greek, are horrified at some of the construction that has happened and is still happening on Ios, namely that of Mr. Michalopoulos and his companies. So am I. Totally not fitting in with the local architecture and landscape, he not only "decorates" his hotels and restaurants in a gaudy, kitschy fashion, but one that is not at all Cycladic. We shrug our shoulders at how this guy is allowed to get away with such atrocities - is the government so corrupt that they can be bought to turn a blind eye? Not only are Mr. Michalopoulos' buildings ugly to look at (why can he not put all the "decor" on the inside so as not to offend the passers by, and conform to local aesthetics?), he has destroyed a once pristine beach by putting a concrete bridge across it in order to access his private residence. He uses water for his pools and "gardens' (green expanses where there was once nothing but rock) from the already small and precious local supply of ground- and rainwater, taking from the community for his own benefit.
I go on about Mr. M. because he is the biggest evildoer and destroyer on the island at the moment, and must be stopped from continuing the Disneyfication, the plastic surgery, the uglification of Ios, which causes the loss of everything visitors come here for. Ios should stand out in the world, and continue to entice tourists with its beautiful nature, charming whitewashed villages, pristine and accessible beaches, traditional paths to hike all over the island, its world-class art museum, archaeological sites, and at the same time provide an environment that the locals can be proud of, one that they will be happy to leave their children.
Ios does not need another five star mega resort when it does not have the infrastructure to support it. Small hotels -yes, progress -yes, but within our limitations and capabilities.