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Greeks worry about impact of refugee crisis on tourism

In this photo taken on Tuesday, June 16, 2015 tourists with a scooter pass by Afghan migrants, at the port of Molyvos, also known by its official name Mithymna, on the northeastern Greek island of Lesbos. More than 25,000 migrants have arrived this year in Greece’s third largest island as many locals and officials say the crisis has not yet severely impacted the island’s lucrative tourist industry, a major source of income, and visitors have shown compassion and understanding. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
In this photo taken on Tuesday, June 16, 2015 tourists with a scooter pass by Afghan migrants, at the port of Molyvos, also known by its official name Mithymna, on the northeastern Greek island of Lesbos. More than 25,000 migrants have arrived this year in Greece’s third largest island as many locals and officials say the crisis has not yet severely impacted the island’s lucrative tourist industry, a major source of income, and visitors have shown compassion and understanding. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) In this photo taken on Tuesday, June 16, 2015 tourists with a scooter pass by Afghan migrants, at the port of Molyvos, also known by its official name Mithymna, on the northeastern Greek island of Lesbos. More than 25,000 migrants have arrived this year in Greece’s third largest island as many locals and officials say the crisis has not yet severely impacted the island’s lucrative tourist industry, a major source of income, and visitors have shown compassion and understanding. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

By Associated Press 5 min read

MOLYVOS, Greece (AP) – On the waterfront beneath this village of stone houses cascading down a castle-topped hill, two worlds collide. Tourists saunter along the pier, gazing at the fishing boats bobbing in the harbor. A group of Afghan children who risked their lives to get here on an overloaded dinghy play in the shallow water.

Greece’s island of Lesbos, a popular holiday destination for Europeans and Greeks alike, has found itself at the center of a migration crisis. Tens of thousands of people from the Middle East, Africa and parts of Asia have traveled to the country’s eastern Aegean islands this year, using them as a gateway to mainland Greece and from there northward to new lives in more prosperous European Union countries.

“It is very sad. It goes through my heart for those people and the children who are hungry,” said Dutch tourist Marianna Kuipers. “On the other hand, it’s my vacation and that’s not nice to see.”

The refugees “need help very quickly,” she said, before wading into the water to talk to the young Afghans.

Tourism is just about the only industry doing well as Greece reels from a vicious financial crisis, and locals and officials are worried about what will happen if the arrivals continue to increase.