Turkish Airlines said that it is continuing to issue tickets from its central offices in Athens and Thessaloniki, despite having been forced due to the current economic situation in Greece, to temporarily withdraw BSP ticketing authority for all Greek travel agents.
TUI Group said that Greek tourism is still strong and called on sector authorities and government officials to focus on maintaining the momentum and tapping into the needs of visitors to the country.
British tour operator Thomas Cook said on Monday that its feedback from its team and returning holidaymakers on Greece has been that it is business as usual in the Greek resorts, with customers continuing to enjoy their holidays without disruption.
As of Wednesday, July 8, Greek travel agents will be required to only use credit cards when making payments in the BSP to Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian Airlines.
The Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourist Agencies (HATTA) on Thursday called for restraint and unity in the Greek tourism sector and assured that there have not been any mass tourism cancellations to Greece so far.
Tour operator members of the United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) with travel programs to Greece are taking a “wait and see” approach to the current economic uncertainty but believe tourism will continue as usual.
The number of Greeks booking their holidays for the July-September period has dropped by up to 50 percent, according to online agent Travelplanet24 - airtickets.gr.
Greece is not experiencing problems with payments from foreign tour operators, the Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourist Agencies (HATTA) said in an announcement on Wednesday, responding to the Greek media that reported otherwise.
The deadline for payments to IATA's electronic billing system BSP (billing and settlement plan) for Greek travel agencies, remains unchanged and is set for Thursday, July 2.
A hotline has been set up for Greek tourism professionals that may need assistance with operational and functional issues that have arisen due to the recent developments in Greece.
"The reality is that tourists are not facing any problems in Greece" and the Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourist Agencies (HATTA) has advised its members to pass this information on to their partners and customers in Greece and abroad.
Greece may be a leading choice among TUI’s clients but the international tour operator stressed that stability and modern infrastructure must be in place if Greece wants to experience growth in the tourism sector.
The chairman of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), Noel Josephides, on Wednesday urged travel professionals to book to attend its next travel convention which will be hosted in Greece.
Preferring to be safe rather than sorry, tour operators worldwide are cutting rates for package deals to Greece by up to 50 percent for fear of a potential Greek default.
Travelport, a leading Travel Commerce Platform has won the "Best Air Rail Distribution Solution" title, alongside Heathrow Express, at the recent Global AirRail Alliance (GARA) Awards.
European tour operators and travel agents have called on the negotiating parties for the Greek bailout program to make a decision, without further delay, on the future VAT rates for tourism services in Greece.
