General Events & Happenings

Trinity International Hospitality Studies on Crete announced last month that the school concluded a cooperation and articulation agreement with the School of Hospitality, Tourism and Culinary Management of Southern New Hampshire University (USA).

With the biggest non-military data base in the world, with technology investments triple that of its closest competitor, and with a dedicated staff of 100-plus nationalities, Amadeus intends to conquer any and all competition.

Last month, some of the top Greek sellers of SkyTeam alliance airlines’ 15,000 daily flights joined with local representatives of the airlines to enjoy a working 3-day cruise with Superfast Ferries. Some two dozen agents took the opportunity to spend time with friends and business partners, and to revitalize their knowledge of alliance and Superfast products and services.

Celebration of World Tourism Day came and went in late September with little fanfare. Greece’s tourism minister welcomed some dignitaries at Cape Sounio and local professional organizations made some announcements. The Institute for Tourism Research and Forecasts, for example, said that tourism arrivals will rise by at least 8 percent this year, and noted a 60 percent increase in incoming flights during September when compared to the same period in 2004. Crete and the Dodecanese Islands were the most popular destinations the institute said a day ahead of the recent World Tourism Day celebrations.

SkyTeam, the global airline alliance, last month welcomed top tourism professionals to its annual Mexican Food Festival organized with the cooperation of the Athenaeum Intercon-tinental and the local Mexican embassy. This marks the fourth year in succession for the festival.

Since its launch of direct flights from Athens, on 15 June 2005, Qatar Airways, one of the fastest growing airlines in the world, continues it strong promotion campaign, all of which reminds of the golden days when airlines were the stars of the travel sector.

Nearly 400 corporate secretaries from some of the capital’s major businesses attended the recent SkyTeam evening reception and fashion show held at one of the Attica area’s most deluxe hotels. During the gala affair, alliance members held a draw for a total of 20 airline tickets to such diverse destinations as Seoul, Mexico City and New York.

Twenty-four outgoing travel specialists from Greece visited Syria recently to get a better idea of what that country has to offer to the Greek traveler, and to discuss ways in which the Syrian and Greek agents could work together to create common business agreements.

The Panhellenic Employees Association of Shipping and Tourism Enterprises (PASENT) last month held its last in a series of workshops on foreign destinations. The last was a complete rundown on Mexico as a destination and what it has to offer to Greek travelers, with special speaker Alejandro Diaz Perez Duarte, Mexican Ambassador to Greece.

A special summer cultural program was announced last month by Athens Mayor Dora Bakoyannis and Athens Municipality Cultural Department chief, Nitsa Loule. The program will spread across several parts of the capital, will run until September 18, and will feature a plethora of diverse events, happenings and parties.