Most recent data show that around 10,000 people have left the island in recent days. Most of the people affected and who fled Santorini were residents of the islands. However, tourists and seasonal workers are also among them, even though in smaller numbers as February is off-season.

Tourists Torn Between “Living Their Dream” & Urge to Evacuate

Taking into account that February is not the peak season, some tourists decided to take advantage of the lower prices and significantly fewer crowds on the island.

However, following the earthquakes these plans changed, with some tourists being torn between staying on the island and others deciding to leave immediately.

Despite the earthquakes and the alarming situation created in Santorini, a tourist who had travelled from China to visit Santorini said that they were not putting off their visit.

The tourist said that they had been wanting to visit the island for years and that they were not surprised by the earthquakes as they had been previously warned that such seismic events could occur.

On the other hand, the case is not the same for a family with children from the UK. The family said that despite wanting to spend more time and enjoying the beauty of the island, they did not think twice about fleeing Santorini.

The majority of the other visitors in Santorini also prioritised their safety even though their visit to Santorini was a long-awaited trip.

Are Tourists Entitled to Compensation if Cancelling Their Holiday to Santorini?

Travellers’ right to compensation depends on a number of factors, including the reason and who cancelled the trip.

In the event of earthquakes, passengers may not be entitled to compensation from the airline as the disruption is not being caused by the airline but by a natural disaster that is out of their control.

However, those with adequate travel insurance policies should be covered if their trip is cancelled, delayed or ended earlier due to the earthquake.

All people taking trips are highly advised to purchase travel health insurance. Many travellers tend to overlook this step, but if the earthquakes in Santorini have taught us anything, it is that travel insurance is essential.