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Greece's latest tourism industry news by Greek Travel Pages

Cyprus Airways To Create Greek Subsidiary

Either through a Greek subsidiary airline or through an alliance with a private Greek carrier, Cyprus Airways is about to take on Olympic Airways. The Cypriot flag carrier says it will concentrate on international flights out of Greece and perhaps team up with a private Greek...

Galileo Introduces Ferrynet System

Galileo Hellas now offers an online booking and ticketing system for Greek ferry lines. The system, Ferrynet, a product created through cooperation with Anite Travel Systems, provides travel agencies and subscribers with access to seat availability, online reservations and ticketing.

Travel Trade Calls Emergency Session To Confront Commission Cuts

Greece's travel trade associations got together last month ans called emergency general assembly of all travel associations to consider stop selling domestic airline tickets after local carriers cut agency commission down to 6.94% from 9%.

Tourism Sector Calls For Abolition Of Airport Tax As Air Fares Rise

High insurance fees and low revenue have forced Greek airlines to increase fares. At the same time, they want major decreases in airport fees and taxes. And so far, they have managed to get all of the tourism-related associations in the private sector behind them in a strong...

Smaller Airlines Preferred By Travelers

It looks like the average flyer believes that the smaller airlines are safer than the big named companies. September's passenger load factor figures were down for Greece's largest airline, state-owned Olympic Airways, as well as major international carriers out of Athens, but...

New Tourism Crisis Committee Action Package

Government action to help tourism out of its present predicament was promised early last month by Development Minister Nikos Christodoulakis. He announced the formation of an "Tourism Crisis Management Committee," headed by the ministry's tourism officials.

Unrestrained Optimism For Greek Tourism

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.

A note by the publisher

As the 'war' between the U.S. and terrorism broke out in North America, a small but pungent war broke out in Athens between air travel agencies and the world's airlines through their local International Air Transport Association's Bank Settlement Plan office, where all air travel...

Olympic Airways Sale On Hold

Recent events have created new conditions under which the privatization of Olympic Airways must be carried out. Although the Greek government gave the green light to privatization advisers Credit Suisse First Boston to continue negotiations with Axon Airlines until October 17 -a...

Terrorism Crisis Hits Greece’s Cruise Industry Hardest, For The Moment

Greece's cruise industry, because a significant portion of its business comes from North American customers, is in for a tough time. Along with this, the industry also has to deal with the possible surge in oil prices, the likelihood of a global recession, the difficulties in air...

Athens Airport Eleftherios Venizelos To Cut Rates

Negative reports in local newspapers concerning the new Athens International Airport at Spata, Elefterios Venizelos, may have played a role in the airport's recent announcement that it will lower airport fees later this year. The newspaper reports concentrated on the lower...

Axon Takes Delivery Of Five New Aircraft As It Bids For Olympic Airways

With or without Olympic Airways, Axon Airlines, which has emerged as the frontrunner in a privatization tender for Olympic Airways, intends to grow by leaps and bounds. The two-year-old airline last month took formal delivery of five new aircraft - two Boeing 737-400s and three...

Airline Specialist Takes Over Tourism General Secretariat

Demetris Georgarakis, an electronic engineer with some 20 years experience in the airline sector (Olympic Airways) has been appointed to head the newly created tourism general secretariat, which is directly under the development ministry.

New Offers For Olympic Airways

Axon Airlines SA, Golden Aviation Services (the Restis shipping group), Integrated Airline Solutions and Cyprus Airways deposited new bids for the purchase of national carrier Olympic Airways. As we go to press, bidders are said to be on their way to London to discuss the bids...

Olympic Airways Speeds Up Privatization And Gets Funds For Spata Move

Olympic Airways will relocate to the new airport at Spata come March next year following approval from the European Commission for the diversion of funds intended for plane purchases.

Olympic’s Fares Increase By As Much As 54%

Recent increases in the price of petrol pushed the world's airlines into 10-15% increases in winter fares, but Olympic Airways seems to have gotten carried away and increased at least one of its winter fares - first-class one-way Athens-New York - by 54%.

Tourism Arrivals Up Over Last Year

Arrivals to Greece during the first half of this year proved to be on a scale expected by local analysts. Arrivals to the Dodecanese resort island of Rodos, from Athens, rose by 32% to 277,308 in the first six months of the year, compared with 1999, the Civil Aviation Authority...

ABTA Holds 50th Anniversary Convention On Kos

The Association of British Travel Agencies (ABTA) holds its annual convention this month on the island of Kos. This is the second time the association selected Greece to host the event. In 1976, Athens hosted the event.

State To Cover Olympic Airways Debts

The government is willing to meet Olympic Airways' debts despite the anticipated reaction from the European Union, said Transport Minister Christos Verelis in a recent interview with the Greek daily newspaper Ta Nea.

New Onephone Service From Olympic Airways

Olympic Airways has established a new phone line for nationwide reservations through the Hellenic Telecommunications Organization's onephone service.