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Marfin Investment Group recently acquired through its 100 percent subsidiary, MIG shipping, a 49.9 percent stake in the Attica Group— Superfast Ferries and Blue Star Ferries— at the price of 5.50 euros per share. In total, MIG now holds a 51.3 percent stake in Attica. Pericles Panagopoulos will retain his position as chairman of Attica, while Andreas Vgenopoulos will assume the position of non-executive vice-chairman of the Company.

Interest generated by the Philoxenia exhibition (November 1-4, Thessaloniki) for buyers has exceeded expectations a month before the event. Travel agencies and tour operators from 50 countries and some 3,000 potential buyers have contacted the organizers so far, and the list, according to the organizers —Helexpo National Exhibition Agency— increases daily so as to have the widest possible range of representatives from the world travel industry at the exhibition.

World Travel Market is a four-day travel industry event (November 12-15, London) that brings together worldwide buyers and sellers from every sector of the industry. A record breaking 46,945 travel industry professionals participated at WTM 2006 representing 202 countries and regions.

Celebrity Cruises, whose general sales agent in Greece is Navigator Travel, recently provided its passengers with an autonomous tour guide device for its fine art collection on seven vessels of the company’s fleet.

Leading world tour operator, TUI AG, and cruise company, Carnival Corporation, have annulled their cooperation agreement initiated earlier this year.

Research done by European Cruise Contribution in Brussels recently showed increasing trends in the cruise line sector throughout Europe. Primarily, the research indicates there is an increase in orders for new cruise ships with the subsequent result being the creation of new employment opportunities and tourism in Europe.

The recent fires in Greece have destroyed over 1,900,000 hectares of land, claimed over 60 lives and destroyed dozens of villages. The loss of value of a number of tourism-related companies stocks on the days of the fires show how, according to the international press, the fires can directly affect tourism in Greece. Presently, according to economists, it is difficult to calculate of the long term effects of the fires on the tourism sector, which is one of the most important sources for Greece’s GDP.

The Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts selected Greece as its first location in Europe. The company anticipates the creation of two luxury resorts, on the island of Santorini and Pylos of Messinia, under its management by 2009.

British Airways recently invited twelve young travelers from all over the world to its London headquarters in Waterside, in order to participate in a kid’s council that would inquire into the needs of this age group.

Amadeus global travel distribution system and Destinations of the World, the sole wholesale travel company dedicated to selling purely to the global travel trade, recently announced a new strategic collaboration that provides mutually beneficial use of information.