Larisa Antypa was ready for her cruise in the Caribbean when news of the economic crisis in Greece, her home country, began to worsen. Antypa, a program coordinator for the Greek Cultural Center in Astoria, Queens, canceled her trip and decided that she would instead spend her vacation money in Greece. Like a growing number of her fellow expatriates, Antypa hopes to bolster the teetering Greek economy -- roiled again on Tuesday by a wave of violent protests and a countrywide strike against proposed austerity measures -- through tourism. It accounts for 15% of the country's jobs and 18% of its GDP, according to the Greek Ministry of Culture and Tourism. "I want to support Greece by spending my money there; it's very important when your country's in trouble to do whatever you can," Antypa said. "I ask people why they're going back, why they don't go somewhere else, and they say, 'Now, Greece needs us.' " Antypa said that more members of her community, largely motivated by pride of country, are vacationing in Greece than ever before. This perception was corroborated by Ted Spyropoulos, president of the U.S. chapter of the World Council of Hellenes Abroad, who said the number of Greek-Americans visiting home has surged and is expected to increase anywhere from 20% to 30% in 2011 from 2010. "(Greeks) have an obligation to go because Greece needs the help right now," said Spyropoulos, who added his organization has launched a campaign to encourage Greek-Americans to travel there. "There's been a call from outside that Greece needs help." This year's 10% increase in income from American tourists, who spend three times more than the average traveler, was huge for Greece's economic development, said Chris Petsilas, the director of the U.S. office of the Greek National Tourism Organization. Despite Greece's debt crisis and crippling unemployment, Pestilas said tourism is booming. "In crises, other tourists postpone their trips to our country; this year, the Greek-Americans will come and they will bring all their friends," Pestilas said. Pestilas added that the Greek government had encouraged tourism from Americans by loosening regulations on cruise ships, eliminating taxes for airlines and cutting fees for hotels. Still, for many Greek-Americans, attempts to visit Greece have been hamstrung by high airfare prices and a sputtering economy at home. "It's depressing and sad watching our country, which is dependent on tourists," said George Kouvaras, owner of Piros custom furniture, who is not returning to Greece for the first time in several years. "But there's no money to go (and) the tickets are expensive, the euro is expensive, the hotels are expensive." Paul Collaros, a member of the Pan-Icarian Brotherhood, agreed, saying he had to postpone his trip from Dyer, Indiana, to Greece. "Everything's become so expensive due to what's going on, it's making it even harder for Greek-Americans to make the trip," Collaros said. But even if they cannot return to visit, Greek-Americans say that their country never travels far from their thoughts. "It's scary; it's frightening; it's hurtful to wake up every day and watch and see the coverage of everything that's going on in Greece. ... We can't help but feel bad that our brothers and sisters have to go through this," said Antonis Diamataris, editor and publisher of a Greek newspaper, The National Herald. Like The Greek News, the Herald is urging its readership to visit Greece this summer. "We cannot save the Greek economy, raise 100 billion dollars, and give it to them, so what we can do is spend our money in Greece -- and hope and pray things will improve."

Write highlights.
Greece's economy has been in economic crisis; protests have roiled the nation. Some Greek-Americans are putting their tourism dollars to work in home country. One woman canceled her Caribbean cruise so she could go to Greece. Greek government loosening regulations on cruise ships, eliminating taxes for airlines.

Problem: By. Tom Gardner. PUBLISHED:. 12:22 EST, 10 January 2014. |. UPDATED:. 12:49 EST, 10 January 2014. The families of two friends who vanished during a late-night fishing trip have asked people to pray for their safe return as divers prepare to comb a lake for their bodies. Detective searching for Mason Cox and David Wood, both 20, are baffled by their disappearance more than a week ago. They were last seen on Thursday January 2 before they headed to Lake Lanier in Dawsonville, Georgia, about 60 miles north of Atlanta. Mystery: David Wood, left, and Mason Cox, right, vanished on a late-night fishing trip. But their fishing equipment had been left behind and they both left personal belongings at Mr Cox's family home. Police have no evidence of foul play but have been using cadaver dogs, specially trained to follow the scent of bodies, to scour the area where they were last seen. Dawson County's Sheriff's Major Tony Wooten told DawsonNews.com: 'At this point, we don't suspect foul play. 'There's nothing other than that they got up to go fishing and at that point they haven't been seen since. We've got nothing to show that any foul play was involved.' Good friends: Friends and family said Mason Cox, left, and David Wood, right, would not have run away. At a press. conference today, both mothers reached out to their sons and spoke of their hope to see their safe return. Mason’s mother Leanne Cox said: 'My son. left his cellphone, his wallet, the shirt he was wearing that night —. it’s all in his room. His car is here. He’s just gone.' 'These are strong. kids. They are smart. Something stupid has just happened. Everybody is. here for you. Nothing is going to happen. If anything is wrong, don’t. worry, we’re here to support you. We’re here. 'We don't know what happened. It's like they just disappeared into thin air.' Ethelyn Geiger added:. 'David, Mason, if you can hear this, please call somebody. We’re very. worried about you. We just want to find our boys.' Relatives today posted an update on a Facebook page set up to keep friends and the public up to date with the search. Mr. Cox's brother wrote: 'Divers are going out today... We have been. waiting days for the ice to be break up and melt. Finally the Georgia. Bureau of Investigation and search and rescue team can get their. equipment in to survey the the bottom of lake lanier. 'Please pray for the best outcome, I again thank you all for your efforts and support in the search of my brother Mason Cox and David Wood.' Earlier the family posted a message vowing to hunt down those involved in the disappearance of their loved ones. It read: 'The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is finally involved to find my missing brother and his friend. To those who are ignorant, they did not run away and are not hiding. 'We will find those involved with the disappearance and punish them to the fullest extent their life has to offer.' Speaking a day after their disappearance, David Wood’s mother Ms Geiger told the Gainesville Times: 'David and Mason have been best friends for years. They are good boys. They did what normal 20-year-olds did. 'They went night fishing that morning and were supposed to come back and hang out with us for the day after New Year’s. They didn’t come back. We haven’t seen them since. We don’t know where they are.'
Summarize this article.

Answer:
Mason Cox and David Wood were last seen in Fredericks Cove on Jan 2. Pair were on a late-night fishing trip at Lake Lanier in Dawsonville. Parents make desperate appeal for help to find their sons. Police use cadaver dogs to search the area around the lake. Divers have been called in to scour the bottom of the lake once it thawed. Family: 'We will find those involved in the disappearance and punish them'