The Guardian has taken down its Greece crisis-porn holiday package “Greece and the Euro” after a shitstorm on social media. Not only Greeks but also foreigners, among them many from UK, slammed the daily for offering a vacation tour to the debt-ridden country under the perspective meet the suffering Greeks at £2,500 for 7 days. The tour package was taken down sometime late on Wednesday evening.
Ο Guardian για τις διακοπές στην Ελλάδα της κρίσης: "Κατόπιν σκέψης διακόπτουμε αυτό το πρόγραμμα ούτως ώστε να επανεξετάσουμε την προσέγγισή μας"
— Thanasis Gavos (@Alyzeas) March 28, 2018
In a statement to Greek media correspondent in London, Thanassis Gavos, the Guardian said:
“The Guardian has been working with Political Tours to provide informative trips to Greece and other countries for people who wish to develop their understanding of the political and social landscapes in these places. On reflection we have now paused this project in order to reconsider our approach. All Political Tours/Guardian packages to Greece, Bosnia, Ukraine have been removed from site.”
In other words what the daily says is we will find other ways, less obviously insulting to exploit the suffering of people in areas of economic crisis and wars in the future.
The Tour package was offering the rare opportunity…
In the company of journalists, including the daily’s correspondent in Athens, the happy but crisis conscious traveler will swill wine and then go visit Greek families who will unfold their daily drama in front of people they have never seen before and who have paid to listen to them. It is unknown whether the Greek crisis victims will get a small commission for being live witnesses of an 8-year-old economic crisis.
NGOs on the island of Samos and the port of Piraeus will explain every facet of the Refugee Crisis and drama.
Once in Athens, the travelers will discuss protests with an ex minister.
Now everyone is wondering who is the former Greek minister who would explain to British tourists the Greek crisis and the impact to the people.