Awards

The Hellenic Tourism Organization has received the top award as Europe’s Leading National Tourism Organization from the London-based World Travel Awards agency, according to an announcement made last month by the organization.

The Attica Group’s Superfast Ferries company, which runs Scotland’s only direct route to the European mainland from Rosyth to Zeebrugge, was selected ‘Best Ferry Company’ in the 19th Guardian, Observer and Guardian Unlimited Travel Awards 2005.

The positive prospects of Greek tourism were praised by World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) President Jean-Claude Baumgarten during his meeting with Tourism Development Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos last month in Athens.

This year’s Hellenic Chamber of Hotels’ tourism awards took on a completely new face. Not only were the awards held within an up-market atmosphere, but also instead of a barrage of awards for everything and everybody, the chamber decided on a smaller number for specific reasons.

Delta has been named the “Fastest Growing Airline for North America” by Athens International Airport at the first award ceremony of its kind. Delta’s commercial director for Greece and Cyprus, Dimitri Karagioules, said on receiving the award that “Delta is delighted to receive this award from our colleagues at AIA which highlights the dedication our airline has demonstrated to this city.

Mount Grammos, known in Greece as one of the bloodiest battlefields of the 1946-49 Civil War, places its natural beauty against the more tranquil Danube River for the 2007-2008 title as the most beautiful nature spot in Europe in the EU-sponsored Landscape of the Year contest.

Through a most successful seminar on its products and services, the airline alliance SkyTeam solidified its position last month within the Greek market as one of the most popular teams of airlines preferred by both travel agents and travelers.

Attica Group, parent company of Superfast Ferries and Blue Star Ferries, was voted “Best Passenger Line of the Year”in Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards.

In an effort to promote Greek beaches as some of the cleanest and most beautiful in the world, the City of Athens awarded what the public considered the country’s best beaches. Voting was on an international basis through the Internet site www.thalassa. gr. Votes came from 45 countries during the period June, 2002 till July 2003. The first place award was picked up by Porto Katsiki, Lefkada, followed by Koukounaries, Magnesias, and Mirtos, Kafalonias.

Greece’s rent-a-car specialist, Batek, which runs the Europcar franchise here, picked up TUI’s 2002 “Best Service” award recently. Germany’s TUI said Europcar offices in Greece were Europe’s best thanks to their excellent cooperation and excellent quality of service.