Bookings for Greek Santorini island remain high despite seismic activity: Tourism minister

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) - Bookings for the Greek island of Santorini remain high despite seismic activity, said the country’s tourism minister on Thursday.

Speaking to public broadcaster ERT, Olga Kefalogianni stressed that authorities are closely monitoring the earthquakes and will take necessary measures to ensure visitors' safety.

"A very important message from Greece to the outside world is that we deal with whatever happens. We share all available data, and any potential visitor to Santorini should know that this activity exists," Kefalogianni said.

When asked how the seismic activity is affecting businesses on the island, she said: “We will not be able to operate the island as it did last year. It is clear that there will have to be measures, which we will have to adjust depending on how seismic activity evolves.”

The small volcanic island of Santorini is one of Greece’s most popular tourist attractions, with an estimated 3.4 million tourists visiting annually.

On Feb. 6, Greek authorities declared a state of emergency for the island until March 3 due to a surge in seismic activity.