Hospitality News

As the name infers–Aquila is the golden eagle of mythology that carried the thunderbolts of Zeus–Aquila’s owner feels the group’s development plans will make it a symbol of power and endurance. Thus far, the hotel chain is made up of four resorts, The Aquila Rithymna Beach, Aquila Porto Rethymno, Aquila Elounda Village and Aquila Atlantis.

Astir Palace Vouliagmenis’ Arion Resort and Spa, part of The Luxury Collection of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, recently opened its new spa.

The thalassotherapy center, Six Senses Spa, housed in the exclusive Porto Elounda hotel in Heraklion, Crete, recently opened its doors to receive Greek and foreign tourists who seek relaxation and rejuvenation. Spyros Kokotou, owner of the well-known resort, embarked on this business venture in the hope of extending Greece’s tourism beyond the three month summer peak.

British investors presented plans last month for a vast, all-season resort on the island of Crete that is expected to cost 1.2 billion euros. Developers of the project described it as a world model of environmentally friendly development, and one of the biggest tourism investments ever carried out in Greece.

Two leading accommodation booking companies in the UK – with about 5,000 properties represented – are first to sign up to a new holiday accommodation safety scheme, according to recent on-line press reports. The Travelsafe health and safety accreditation system will mean hotels, apartments and villas face blacklisting if they fail to pass a new standards.

After almost three years of reconstruction at a cost of more than 20 million euros, the classic Royal Olympic hotel has been transformed into one the capital’s three most distinguished hotels. Finishing touches – a superb spa and an alluring roof garden – are set for completion late next month.

Attica hotel occupancy in 2006 increased 9.8 percent against the year before. Room prices were up 2.6 percent and revenue per room increased by 12.6 percent, according to Giorgos Tsakiris, president of the Attica Hoteliers’ Association, and Ioannis Retsos, the association’s secretary general.

Hoteliers are voicing strong opposition to a clause in the new investment incentives law that provides for subsidies of at least 15 percent for the construction of new hotels in Athens and Thessaloniki.

Expedia, the world’s leading online travel provider, is holding ten workshops in major cities throughout Greece. This initiative to help promote tourism in Greece and improve hotel competitiveness is a result of an agreement made between Expedia and the Hellenic Hotel Federation.

Amadeus has a new solution that travel agents and hotels can use to track and claim hotel booking commissions. Amadeus estimates that travel agencies lose more than 120 million euro each year in lost commissions.