Letter From Greece: Tourism is Thriving Amid a Struggling Economy, but the Work is Tiring

 

Despina Savvidou amid a crush of tourists and locals at the Acropolis of Athens.

 

ATHENS - It's been a long morning, and Despina Savvidou is dreaming about an afternoon nap.

 

That’s not surprising. She’s nearing the end of a three-hour stint guiding a group of five tourists around central Athens and has arrived at the city’s Acropolis, an arduous 150-foot climb. The place is packed to the point where there’s little room to maneuver on the rocky steps leading to the ruins of the marble edifice where Athenians have been gathering since 500 BC.

 

Cruise ship passengers, Greeks out for a Sunday stroll and taking advantage of rare free admission, and sunny, pleasant weather are responsible for the unusually large crowd.

 

Savvidou, 58, a straight-talking woman who mixes insightful historical observations with biting social commentary, is annoyed.

 

“I hate the cruise ships,” she says with a look of great disdain on her otherwise friendly face.

 

The irony, of course, is that the ships bring tourists and tourism is her livelihood. Not that type of tourist, Savvidou is quick to point out.