GREEK TRAVEL BUSINESS NEWS
Issue 3 (July 1)

The Special Olympics Returns to the Birthplace of Sport

“I think we’re home,” said Dr. Timothy Shriver, Chairman and CEO of Special Olympics as he welcomed an enthusiastic crowd to the historic Kallimarmaron Panthinaikon Olympic Stadium - site of the first Olympic Games of the modern era. Legendary Stevie Wonder performed at the Opening Ceremony. (video) Connect with the Special Olympics World Summer Athens 2011 on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and for updates, please see the website announcements.

Thomas Cook: Greece is 2nd Top Destination

Greece is the ideal holiday destination for many people, according to a recent article published in Austrian newspaper Kurier (19.6). Fifteen million tourists, mostly British, French and Germans visit Greece every year.  The number of Austrian tourists amounts to 600,000, which, compared to the country’s population (8.4 million inhabitants), brings Austria into first place in terms of arrivals in Greece. The article adds that according to the tourist agency, the third largest in Austria, Greece ranks as the second tourist destination after Spain.

1st Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum: Follow-up

Touted as Europe’s most important sea tourism event, the 1st Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum took place on June 21-22 at the Onassis Cultural Centre in Athens. The forum focused on three key areas: cruise, yachting and coastal shipping. More than 400 people participated, including representatives of the Greek and foreign governments, entities in industrial development. Deputy Tourism Minister George Nikitiadis said that the ministry is open to dialogue in order to find solutions to the cruise sector's problems, He added that the ministry is currently in talks with relevant parties aiming at making changes where feasible in order to boost cruises and marine tourism, and called for all parties’ cooperation.

New GNTO Facility in Amsterdam

Mr George Koletsos, General Secretary of GNTO, mr Wibi Soerjadi, famous Dutch pianist and ms Skarveli, Director of Greek National Tourism Organisation Belgium-Luxembourg-NetherlandsA series of special events were held in mid-June at the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) offices in Amsterdam aiming at promoting Greek tourism in the Dutch market. A new permanent multi-purpose exhibition centre - located near famed Leidseplein Square in central Amsterdam – will open in September. The venue will be Greece’s gateway to the Dutch public, allowing Greek enterprises to carry out thematic presentations, aiming at enhancing cultural and tourism ties between the two countries and ultimately extending the tourism season in Greece.

(photo:Mr George Koletsos, General Secretary of GNTO, mr Wibi Soerjadi, famous Dutch pianist and ms Skarveli, Director of Greek National Tourism Organisation Belgium-Luxembourg-Netherlands)

Extending the Tourism Season

Mr George Koletsos, General Secretary of GNTO, mr Wibi Soerjadi, famous Dutch pianist and ms Skarveli, Director of Greek National Tourism Organisation Belgium-Luxembourg-NetherlandsThe ministry of Culture and Tourism announced (20.6) its drive to extend the tourism season. Speaking on the island of Rhodes, Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister George Nikitiadis said the government would seek to work together with regional authorities, travel agencies, airline companies and others in the sector and examine ways that Greece's tourist season might be extended to the period between November 1 and March 30.

Synergassia

The Invest in Greece Agency has developed the Synergassia initiative - an umbrella programme covering a broad range of activities to assist the development of regional Greece. Within this context, some 40 commercial attachés from foreign embassies in Europe, Asia and the Middle East visited Rethymno, on a five-day business mission (June 15-19) to the Region of Crete. The mission was supported by the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO), the Hellenic Foreign Trade Board and the Export Credit Insurance Organisation. Participants were briefed on investment opportunities in Crete and were able to meet with the local business community.

Bathing Water Quality Remains High

The annual Bathing Water Report from the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the European Commission DG Environment has been published (16.6) and is titled “European bathing water quality in 2010,” based on bathing water data available up to 1 May, 2011. While the overall quality is still high, the quality of bathing water across Europe has declined slightly between 2009 and 2010. The reportcompares water quality in more than 21,000 coastal and inland bathing sites across the EU-27. Cyprus was the leading performer, with 100% of its bathing water sites meeting strict guide values, followed by Croatia (97.3%), Malta (95.4%), Greece (94.2%) and Ireland (90.1%).

“Sailing Woman” in the Dodecanese Islands

The GNTO Milan office has collaborated with the thematic channel Yacht & Sail and TV production company Silverstri SRL to produce a series called “Sailing Woman” in the Dodecanese islands. Viewers will follow the crew around the archipelago on their discovery of archaeological sites and museums. The audience will also join the crew in family moments and celebrations with locals on several islands including Patmos, Lipsi, Leros, Kalymnos, Nisyros, Kos, Symi and Rhodes. The programme will air six 30-minute episodes in October 2011.

France Donates Etchings

Two etchings by French artist Sebastien Leclerc (1637-1714), displayed at the Louvre Museum, were delivered to the Archaeological Museum of Dion, in northern Greece, by French consul general to Thessaloniki Christian Thimonier on June 20. The works of art - "Entry of Alexander the Great into Babylon" (1704), and "Academy of Sciences and Fine Arts" (1698) - were donated by French authorities. Both items, inspired by Alexander the Great, were created for Louis XIV and have already been on display at Dion during the "Louvre at Dion" exhibition, held within the framework of the annual Olympus Festival last summer.

Chef James Martin: Cooking in Chania

A British TV production is promoting Chania and Cretan cuisine: James Martin, - considered one of the most famous chefs in Britain - was spotted in recent days on the island. Promoting the delicious recipes of Crete, the show was partly filmed on the open boat close to the port, the rest of the production team were shooting scenes around the beautiful harbour. More filming was done around the graves of the Venizelos family, in Akrotiri and inside a traditional taverna serving Cretan food. Martin is thought to be one of the most famous chefs in Britain and his shows are watched by more than 1 million viewers. This time, he and his production team will be filming in four countries in the Mediterranean: Greece, Italy, Spain, and France and his show will be divided into 10 parts to be broadcast in October.

Athens Every Week

The initiative Athens Every Week promotes everything that Athens has to offer to our visitors every week of the year. It organizes the numerous events that share the same theme and take place in Athens at the same time, thus creating a so-called “week-identity” in a unique ambience in the city. Currently running is the Special Olympics Week (June 27 – July 3), and next on the schedule is Music Week (July 4 - 10). For more information, please see www.visitgreece.gr.

IN BRIEF

  • A “special exhibition featuring magnificent Greek coins” from Vienna and Winterthur titled “Gods, Man and Greek Money” is being showcased at the Art History Museum of Vienna through October 16, 2011.
  • Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Yeroulanos was interviewed in Athens (20.6) by American cable news channel CNBC’s Michelle Caruso-Cabrera on the show Power Lunch: “Greece: nice place to visit?” (video). Read about this interview in kathimerini.com: Tourism on the rise.
  • The latest UGG Australia advertising campaign was shot on the island of Santorini.