- The President of the Rhodes Hoteliers’ Association, Yiannis Papavassiliou, emphasizes that Rhodes must remain a destination open to all, far from geopolitical discrimination and tensions.
The President of the Rhodes Hoteliers’ Association (RHA), Mr. Yiannis Papavassiliou, expressed his position in favor of maintaining the image of Rhodes as an open, safe and hospitable destination, in the wake of the reactions that occurred on the occasion of the expected approach of a cruise ship with Israeli passengers to the island’s port.
In his statement, Mr. Papavassiliou emphasized that Rhodes has historically based its tourist identity on the values of hospitality, peaceful coexistence and mutual respect. At the same time, he called on all those involved to show composure and prudence, emphasizing that tourism cannot function as a field for expressing geopolitical confrontations.
“Rhodes is a place of hospitality, history and peaceful coexistence, which has always welcomed visitors from all over the world with respect and dignity,” said the president of the EXR. “Our tourism identity is based on the values of tolerance, security and mutual respect,” he added.
The statement comes at a time when social and political tensions at the international level create a sensitive background and sometimes provoke reactions in local communities with high tourist exposure. In this context, the Rhodes Hoteliers’ Association calls for responsibility, condemning any form of targeting of visitors based on nationality or origin.
“It is not the job of the tourism community to dictate or judge geopolitical developments,” notes Mr. Papavassiliou. “The reception of all visitors must be done with respect for the person and the right to travel. Targeting specific nationalities is not only inconsistent with Rhodian hospitality but also harms the tourism product of our island.”
The president of EXR also emphasizes that in a global tourism market that operates on the basis of openness and cooperation, protest practices linked to the identity of visitors pose serious risks to the international image of the destination. “Such protest practices pose the risk of damaging the image of Rhodes as a safe and hospitable destination,” he states characteristically.
In closing, the Rhodes Hoteliers Association appeals for respect for the long-standing reputation of the island as a top destination for hospitality and harmonious coexistence. “We call on all those involved to show composure, prudence and respect for the international image of Rhodes, which we have all worked hard to build together over decades,” the statement concludes.
