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Greece's latest tourism industry news by Greek Travel Pages

A note by the publisher

Greece and its tourism sector can "thank the gods" for not sending a SARS victim to our shores. If they had, there is no doubt that the incompetence of our political leadership would have led the tourism industry to the brink of destruction.

Over-reaction to SARS Outbreak

The impact of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak on many tourism destinations is already greater than last year's terrorist attack on Bali, while airlines have been hit harder than they were by the war in Iraq, says World Tourism Organization Secretary-General...

A Common EU Tourism Policy Possible and Likely

The informal meeting last month of EU development ministers and tourism officials on the island of Crete laid the foundations for drafting a common tourism policy in the European Union by proposing specific measures on tourism promotion and communication.

Athens International Airport World’s Best

Athens International Airport is the new leader in the world in its category, according to the annual results of International Air Transport Association's independent survey "Global Airport Monitor" for 2002.

New Conference & Exhibition Center Ready in 2005

By mid 2005 the Athens Mitropolitiko Conference & Exhibition Center should be open and operating, says Takis Koumanis, president of the Association of Greek Organizers of Exhibitions and Conferences. He suggests that the total cost of the project would reach 146 million euros.

POET Holds General Meeting

Leading members of Greece's tourism community attended the recent general meeting of the Panhellenic Federation of Tourism Enterprises (POET) held in Athens.

Tourism Sector Hopes For Last-minute Bookings

The tourism sector had best hope for a barrage of last-minute bookings if Greece's consumers' federation is correct in its forecasts. Four out of every 10 Greeks will not take summer holidays this year, mainly to save money, while most of those who do go away will stay in their...

Europcar Earns TUI Excellence Award

Greece's rent-a-car specialist, Batek, which runs the Europcar franchise here, picked up TUI's 2002 "Best Service" award recently. Germany's TUI said Europcar offices in Greece were Europe's best thanks to their excellent cooperation and excellent quality of service.

Hilton Athens Official IOC Headquarters Hotel

Peter Van der Vliet, general manager of the Hilton Athens and Yianna Angelopoulou-Daskalaki, president of the Athens 2004, signed an agreement last month whereby the hotel becomes an official International Olympic Committee headquarters hotel during the 2004 Olympic Games here in...

Government Expects Minor Drop In Arrivals

Development Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos during a recent press call said that Greek tourism is heading for recovery following the end of the war in Iraq. He said tourist arrivals will pick up pace later this year following the end of the war in Iraq and despite the threat posed...

Sabre Restructures Business Activities

Global distribution system Sabre Holdings recently separated its business activities so as each department can serve precise fields in the tourism chain.

Travel Exhibition Proves Tourism Resilience

The 10th anniversary of Arabian Travel Market, the Middle East's premier travel and tourism exhibition, which began a four day run at Airport Expo Dubai, highlighted the resilience of the tourism industry in the aftermath of war and in the face of the Severe Acute Respiratory...

HATTA Sides With Traveling Public

An Athens court recently ruled in favor of an injunction brought by the Hellenic Association of Tourism and Travel Agents against the Media & Travel Group, which distributes Travel Card, advertised as offering discount accommodation in over 300 hotels throughout Greece.

Amphitrion Opens New Office On Santorini

One of Greece's leading travel companies, the Amphitrion Group of Companies, continued its expansion activities recently with the launch of a new branch office on the island of Santorini.

Pessimism Prevails In Tourism Sector

Greece's public sector tourism leaders continue their attempts to support tourism sector moral in the face of what appears to be a very difficult year for the sector.

HATTA Leads New Effort to Create Tourism Chamber

Leading tourism organizations in the country in late April endorsed the creation of a tourism chamber in the hopes that such a body would bring the industry up to par with its counterparts throughout Europe and also help lift the sector out of a two-year slump.

Europe Embraces Internet as Greece Waits in the Wings

With about one-third of the European population connected to the Internet, the popularity of low-cost carriers and the emergence of dynamic packaging, the European online travel market is finally taking hold. Led by the U.K., France and Germany, travel e-commerce reached 7.6...

Additional Reservation System for Superfast and Blue Star Ferries

Along with their own booking systems for domestic and international ferry routes, Superfast Ferries and Blue Star Ferries now have their routes on the FORTHcrs reservation system. An agreement between Attica Enterprises, which controls both above mentioned ferry lines, and the...

Strintzis Management Pleasantly Surprised

Traffic on our new routes is even better than we expected, says Blue Star Ferries (Strintzis Lines) sales and marketing director, Michalis Sakelis. "We are particularly pleased and pleasantly surprised with the traffic on our new Piraeus-Chania route," he says.

Thousands Worldwide Will Watch 50th Anniversary Acropolis Rally

This year's 50th anniversary of Acropolis Rally marks the 6th round of the 2003 World Rally Championship and the biggest annual motor sport event in our country.
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