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Figure CS15.3 Children are playing among steam vents and boiling springs while others take photos of the unique
thermal features
Source: Photo courtesy of P. Erfurt-Cooper

by its narrowness. It is surprising that not a single the bottom of the crater in the heat of the
warning sign can be seen; neither at the top of the summer could make for an unpleasant holiday
crater nor at the bottom where the geothermal memory.
activity draws people close to hissing steam vents
and boiling springs. Tourism
Apart from a low fence at the crater rim the Greece is a popular holiday destination and
whole area is completely open and accessible tourism receipts for this country totalled USD15.7
without any indication for inexperienced tourists billion in 2008, from around 18 million visitors
that they are entering an active volcanic area. (including 1.2 million cruise ship passengers).
Many people undertake a climb into the crater as While there are no specific data on volcano
a recreational activity with the whole family tourism in Greece, Santorini features as one of
including small children who play around the the travel agency Abercrombie and Kent’s
thermal features (Figure CS15.3). Taking photos locations for extreme tourism, a reference to its
also lures people very close to everything that volcanic past and present, and the southern
steams and bubbles and some interpretive signs Aegean islands have all recorded healthy tourism
would certainly raise the awareness of the flows in the recent past (National Statistical
geothermal environment of Nisyros, which is Service of Greece, 2009). Tour operators who
without doubt very interesting. It is not clear have specialized in volcano tourism offer ‘geologic
what measures are in place in case of an emergency study and walking tours’ on Santorini during
which does not necessarily have to originate in spring, autumn and winter (Volcano Discovery,
volcanic activity. Thermal burns or a broken leg at 2008).

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