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Tourism and shipping industry speakers said Greek passenger ferries and dozens of popular Aegean island ports must urgently improve if this Mediterranean country is to continue to see strong increases in tourism arrivals. At a recent press call to announce the conclusions of last month’s ‘Coastal Shipping Forum’ held in Piraeus, the speakers emphasized the need for early ship schedules.

Americans bombard their travel agents for prices on cruises in Europe, including the Greek Islands. The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) says that Europe will be on the cruise map this year.

Queen Mary 2, considered the most magnificent ocean liner ever built, docked in Piraeus last month, which is one of the 18 ports of call on its maiden ‘Round the World in Less than 80 Days’ cruise.

Greece lags behind most of its regional competitors in tourism competitiveness. It lies 24th among 124 countries, according to the Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index presented recently by the World Economic Forum.

According to local press reports, foreign investors and large foreign enterprises are targeting some of the most important Greek ports and all airports, expecting that the country’s tourism development will continue and expand, in particular into the winter season.

A significant step to revamp the 640,000-square-meter seaside area in western Piraeus to include tourism installations and a sea park was taken last month during a meeting with the country’s public works minister, Giorgos Souflias, the merchant marine inister, Manolis Kefaloyiannis, the local mayors and the owners of properties in the area (the National Bank of Greece, the Piraeus Port Authority, British Petroleum and AGET Heracles).

A number of new cultural events programmed for Athens and Thessaloniki on an annual basis makes up driving force of a campaign to make Greece a preferred destination for cultural tourists, the government announced last month.

Greece’s culture ministry last month unveiled a hand-held gadget for visitors that offers high-resolution video, detailed diagrams of Greek archaeological sites, position indicators, and imagery along with stereo sound.

Amadeus Hellas and Travel Plan of the Lambrakis group of companies officially inaugurated the beginning of their partnership, which was effective as of January 1, 2007, with a celebration that took place at a central Athenian hotel with the participation of both companies’ executives and staff.

Amadeus released a major study, Future Traveler Tribes 2020, that defines who will be traveling in the future, which groups will potentially be most dominant, and the technology solutions that will facilitate their journeys and improve their travel experience.