The severe impact of the refugee crisis and the urging need for actions that would reestablish the islands-hosts’ tourist reputation and safeguard the local tourism economy were discussed in a meeting held earlier this week at the Ministry of Economy, Infrastructure, Shipping and Tourism. The meeting was chaired by the country’s interim finance minister, Nikos Christodoulakis and attended by Tourism Ministry’s alternate general secretary, Gerasimos Zacharatos, the president of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) Elissavet Chatzinikolaou and the North Aegean Region’s deputy governor for tourism, Nikos Katrakazos. Island tourism professionals send distress calls fearful over the damaging impact of the massive refugee influx. Only this week, six cruise ships with about 5,000 passengers have already cancelled their docks to Mytilini and Molyvos, citing concerns over the situation. To start with, Tourism ministry’s alternate general secretary, Gerasimos Zacharatos and the GNTO’s president, Elissavet Chatzinikolaou, will get to the islands of Lesvos and Samos and meet with local and professional bodies to set up a special tourism promotion program.