Holidaymakers on Kos start returning to hotels after wildfire evacuation

Tourists on the Greek island of Kos are slowly making their way back to their accommodations following the evacuation due to a wildfire.

Tourists who were evacuated on Monday due to a wildfire on the Greek island of Kos have begun to go back to their accommodations.

Officials removed everyone from the resort town of Kardamena on Monday afternoon. Vacationers and locals were transported by bus to nearby schools and a football stadium. TUI has decided to cancel trips for customers planning to visit Kardamena today. Affected guests are being contacted to talk about different choices.

The blaze on Kos was just one of 52 forest fires that erupted across Greece in the past day, as reported by the Greek Fire Department. Firefighters also worked to control a fire on Chios, advising residents to evacuate to a nearby beach. Additionally, a fire broke out in Heraklion, Crete in the early morning hours.

The fire department reported that over 100 firefighters, along with a helicopter, are still working to control the fire and prevent it from reigniting. Despite this, officials have stated that residents are now allowed to go back to Kardamena.

Natalie Taylor, a PTC at Hays Travel, shared in the Travel Gossip Facebook group that her customers had received a message informing them that they needed to leave the Holiday Village Atlantica Mikri Poli Kos. They were being transported by TUI to a nearby soccer field and were waiting for more details.

Natalie shared with Travel Gossip that her clients were evacuated in the evening and were first taken to a school before being transferred to a nearby football field where they waited for several hours. Eventually, they were accommodated in a hotel connected to the football field and spent the night there comfortably.

This morning, they were escorted back to the hotel where they enjoyed breakfast before returning to the pool area. Although it was a frightening experience for them, they praised the excellent management and appreciated being kept informed throughout the ordeal.

The situation was peaceful and well-managed, with TUI representatives and holiday village personnel remaining by their side throughout.

TUI informed vacationers today that they have received a message from Civil Protection confirming that it is safe for everyone to go back to their hotels. They are now working on arranging transportation for those who were evacuated.

We know that yesterday and last night were challenging for everyone, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused during your vacation with us. We're hopeful that once you're back in your accommodations, you can enjoy the rest of your holiday without any more interruptions.

A representative from TUI mentioned: “The most important thing for us is the well-being of our customers and staff. Our teams have been focused on helping customers who have been affected by a wildfire in the Kardamena area of Kos, Greece.

Coaches are currently taking guests back to their hotels after a safety measure was issued last night by the Greek Civil Guard.

Our TUI representatives are currently stationed on site to assist customers as they make their way back to their hotels. Visitors in Kos should heed the guidance provided by the local authorities.

A representative from Jet2 stated that the officials in Kos asked for people to leave Kardamena as a safety measure because of a fire on the island. The precautionary evacuation was lifted this morning and we are now assisting in getting our customers back to their hotels so they can continue enjoying their vacations.

"Our staff was there to help customers face-to-face the whole time, and we kept them informed by sharing updates, such as reminding them of our round-the-clock Customer Helpline information. We appreciate customers being understanding and patient during this time."

We are closely monitoring the situation and our teams are available to help customers. Everything is running smoothly for our flights and holidays in Kos.

EasyJet vacations advised customers to keep an eye on their text messages and email for any new information. They also mentioned that their team members are available at designated meeting points to offer assistance and advice to customers who have been asked to leave their accommodations. They encouraged customers to approach these representatives for help when needed.

EasyJet stated that the majority of Kos remains untouched, meaning that vacations will proceed as scheduled.

Greek Travel Pages reported that a 63-year-old male has been taken into custody in relation to the Chios wildfire.

The Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, mentioned that there was severe drought and abnormally strong winds in June. He cautioned that this summer is expected to be extremely risky for wildfires.