Rhodes welcomes first UK tourists with gifts as season starts earlier (video)

The first charter flight arrived on Saturday at the “Diagoras” airport of Rhodes, bringing the first tourists of the season to the island, kicking off the tourism season 2023..

The first international flight from Luton airport in London landed on the island short before 12 noon and the plane was welcomed with a water arch by the local Fire Service.

Members of the tourism department of the Municipality of Rhodes welcomed the some 140 passengers handing them out Greek flags and bags with traditional products such as melekounia-sweets, honey and other products.

At the airport exit the philharmonic band of the Municipality was playing Greek songs.

Video by Rhodes Municipality

During the day, two more flights from Britain landed, namely one from Gatwick airport and one from Manchester, local media reported. adding that last year the first British tourists arrived on the island on March 27 on an easyjet flight from Bristol.

In a statement, the mayor of Rhodes, Antonis Kambourakis, underlined: “Rhodes is once again at the top. For the first time so early, the tourist season opens in Rhodes with charter flights from Great Britain. Rhodes marks the opening of the summer for all of Greece.”