More News

New strategic partner agreements, even with European cruise and ferry companies, are expected to see the light of day in the near future, according to high ranking executives of Greece’s major ferry lines. And Greek ferry companies may play a major role in implementing such deals.

Coastal shipping companies are expected to ask Merchant Marine Minister Christos Papoutsis to consent to fare hikes of up to 20 percent. They also called on him to extend the increased summer-season fare schedule into the winter. Ferry operators say higher insurance premiums are the problem. Insurers have raised their claims to “astronomical proportions,” they complain, and “premium increases vary, according to the ship’s age and type, between 50 and 700 percent.” Fuel is another worry.

If anything was crystal clear at the last month’s Destination Greece conference organized by the British Hellenic Chamber of Commerce, it was that Greece has a fantastic opportunity to develop its tourism sector. All that’s needed is the decision.

Although both Superfast Ferries and partner Strintzis Lines (Blue Star Ferries) increased sales and market share during the first half of this year, profits for both are down. When Attica Enterprises, owners of Superfast Ferries, last month announced its first-half financial results for this year, it said that consolidated sales increased by 28.5% to reach 94.7 million euros, or 32.3 billion drachmas, against 73.6 million for the corresponding period last year.

The International Tourism Exchange ITB Berlin (March 16-20, 2002) has launched a virtual market place with more than 2,500 exhibitors on its site, www.itb-berlin.de. The virtual fair provides a 24-hour means of communication and information between exhibitors and visitors throughout the year.

As seen in the article on Greek cuisine, local wines, spirits, soft drinks and culinary specialties play an integral part in international travel and tourism. To acknowledge this, and as a celebration of the 11 years that World Travel Market has been based at Earls Court, the organizers of this year’s fair (November 12-15) have created a new Discovery initiative “Savor the World”.

The new Acropolis Museum, designed by architects Bernard Tschumi and Michalis Fotiadis, soon begins construction so as to meet the completion date of August 2004. Plans foresee a plain yet somewhat elegant building that takes nothing from the wonder of a first sight of the Acropolis. Designers say it will be far removed from the architecture of excess and from any tendency to exhibitionism.

One of the world’s major global distribution system providers, Worldspan, spent lavishly last month in a successful effort to thank their many clients throughout the country for using their services. Some 200 travel agents arrived for the gala night-out event held at one of the capital’s most up-market hotel complexes.

The International Exhibition “Ports 2001” for the construction, development and management of ports in view of 2004 took place on September 27-28, 2001 at the Peace and Friendship Stadium.

Twelve companies have applied to participate in the Hellenic Tourism Organization’s competition for the promotion of Attica in view of the 2004 Olympic Games. The organization said it was pleased with the strong response.