g.

gr
avellin
www.tr

Elounda so lfez villas

MONTHLY TRAVEL GUIDE

Crete, Greece

HELLENIC
FEBRUARY 2011
No 231
on travel and tourism in Greece

PRICE EUR 22
MAR 2011

The first and only

complete site
“Quality Time Re – Invented” No 232

www.eloundasolfezvillas.com
2 | [NEWS]

NEWS contents
ck,
Hoteliers set sights on new ‘Greek Breakfast 4 Greek breakfast is not a gimmi
“its a way of life!”
Culture and Tourism Minister
addresses American-Jewish conference 4
George Koletsos is GNTO General Secretary 4 breakfast,
month cold and our body needs a good
March is probably the most important again its all about energy.
k touri sm. Its the mon th that the
‘Giving value to the experience of eating’ 5 for Gree
world-
Tourism and branded Greek Wine: who-is-who of travel and tourism, Now lets fast forward a couple of
months.
e in the
a relationship of mutual benefit 5 wide, goes to Germany to participat Lets say July or August. At this time
we are in
renown exhibition ITB-Berlin! full swing into the summer seaso
n, in the
tourists in
this mega high 30's C, and we are receiving
SITE Greece awards ‘unsung heroes’ of Every year we all prepare to go to Greece. They too come to our hotel
s, check-
lots of ex-
Greek tourism 5-6 event. In our “luggage” we pack in and we tell them the essen tials, among
price lists,
pectations, anxiety, brochures, which is when and where the brea
kfast is
a one way
International award for five business cards, etc., etc., etc. Its served. Up until now we have been
serving
have to
Greek organic honeys 6 road, we have to be prepared, we America, British and/or Continent
al break-
gh and we have to bring in the
come throu them this
PODIX cutting of the New Year’s cake 6
last oppo rtuni ty. fast. Why have we been serving
business – its the fasts? Because that is what they
kind of break
is what
OMIROS’ golden formula for success 7 ably we eat regularly up in the north or that
Summer Holidays EXPO 20-22 May in Athens 7 The one thing we all do and prob the TOs asked the hotels to have
in absence
ities is
don't place it high on our list of prior of something else. Whatever the reaso
n, that
Hertz To Go Solar;
book a fligh t and a hote l for this event.
to is what we have been serving.
The Company Will Install 16 Solar Power Systems 7 t has to
Our specifications are that the fligh
and the
be direct and at a reasonable time But wait a minute, this is the Medi
terranean,
of what
The Snow Train takes you to Kaimaktsalan 8 hotel has to fulfill our personal specs the climate is totally different as
well as the
a business
Developing modern port infrastructure a hotel has to be when going on kind of energy required. The “clas
sical” bea-
required to grow cruise industry 8 trip. We just simply have to do it. con and eggs, sausages, potatoes,
etc, in
Louis Cruises lowers the Greek flag ce when the temp eratu re is in the high
hotel to Gree
from their cruise ships 8 So we land in Berlin and head to the 30's will make your body run like
a locomo-
and oc-
check-in. Usually the weather is cold tive. What your body needs is a
Mediter-
recep-
Entertainment is a big Allure on casionally, rainy or even snowy. The ranean breakfasts or better put
a Greek
the essen-
tion gives us our key and tells us breakfast! It will give our visitors
the kind of
Royal Caribbean’s newest ship 9 where
tials, among which is when and energy that will pull them trough
the day till
Norwegian Cruise Line presents its serve d. If we have staye d again
breakfast is their next meal witho ut havin g their body
what the
new promotion with great family savings – in the particular hotel we know working like crazy to burn the
what they
a moment
Kids cruise half price 9 breakfast is all about. If not, for consumed.
be. All is
Travelport expands Africa footprint in Algeria 9 we start thinking what might it
ed in the morn ing at the breakfast not some-
clear Naturally, the “Greek breakfast” is
Continen-
Business on Board and Hilton Honors from Olympic Air 10 room. Its America, British and/or thing know , prob ably not even to the aver-
tal. to make an
Aegean: net losses for 2010 after taxes age Greek, which means we have
ts that we
are estimated at €22-24 million 10 sure we extra effort in explain to our gues
Ryanair opens 16 new routes to Kos & Rhodes 10 We all (or at least, most of us) make have a Greek breakfast, along with
the clas-
a good break fast - beac on and eggs, why they
have sical breakfast they know, and
we might
sausages, potatoes, etc, although should prefer it over the other selec
tions.
New online application lets travellers rate . Why
have a very light breakfast back home
all the
LH destinations in ten categories 11 do we do it? The first is that we need The Greek breakfast is not a prom
otional
the whole
easyJet passenger numbers rise to 50m each year 11 energy we can get to pull through gimmick, its a way of life.
is that its
Etihad welcomes ACCC authorisation of day at the exhibition. The second
Virgin Blue Alliance 11
Hellenic Travelling
Olympic Handling’s new service at El. Venizelos airport 11
 [NEWS] | 3

Athens Training and Development Center

ACS Athens and

Athens Training and Development Center

will provide students and professionals with the

opportunity to learn online Marketing strategies.

These skills will translate into real life applications.

Additionally, participants are eligible to sit

for the CeMA Certification Examination
once they have successfully completed the four required courses.

For inquires call Tel.: 210 800 1029 to arrange a meeting

with a representative of the Athens Training & Development Center,
E-mail: info@athenstrainingcenter.gr, Web site: www.athenstrainingcenter.gr

www.travelling.gr
Δηλώσεις συμμετοχής και πληροφορίες σχετικά με το 9ο Συνέδριο του ΣΕΤΕ μπορείτε να βρείτε στο www.seteconferences.gr
4 | [NEWS]
HOTELIERS SET SIGHTS ON
NEW ‘GREEK BREAKFAST
The Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH) is intent on the creation and
establishment of a new commercial ‘trademark’ of sorts – that of
the ‘Greek Breakfast’, to be offered at hotels and comprised of ‘tra-
ditional Greek products’. This aims at increasing the competitive-
ness of the Greek tourism product in general, and of the small and
medium-sized hotels in particular. The move is also being made as
a means of promoting Greek gastronomy as a tourism development
‘tool’, as well as connecting tourism and the country’s strong tradi-
tion in agriculture.
The Greek Breakfast will stand out as a product with particular fea-
tures that will allow it to become well known through modern mar-
keting techniques. The Greek Breakfast will be designed to:
Match current consumer trends in eating habits (Mediterranean nu-
trition, biological products etc.);
Highlight the ingredients and recipes of individual regions, as com-
plementary tourist features;
Add value to local culture and histories of the region;
Be adaptable to various plates on offer and means of being served.
In developing this Greek Breakfast, special attention must be given
to:
Factors affecting cost and the cost-benefit relationship of combina-
tions and products;
Creation an experience surrounding the breakfast;
The channels via which the image and sentiment of the breakfast
will be developed (underlying message, presentation etc.);
How hotels will highlight and promote the breakfast and offer it
(events, seminars, publications etc.);
Including the philosophy of the quality and its certification.
In all, the thoughts behind the idea focus on the Mediterranean ‘di-
et’, local products, the ‘myth’ of the destination-regions and the
tourist added value.
Studying the current situation
During this phase, current practices of breakfast in Greece will be
investigated by categories separating small and medium-sized, city,
tourist resort and country-side hotels.
Also, studies are concentrating on internationally established break-
fast models (English breakfast, American breakfast, Continental
breakfast, Japanese breakfast etc.), originating countries’ consumer
trends, as well as breakfast models of competitive neighboring des-
tinations.
Finally, consumer trends in food in general and the Mediterranean
‘diet’ in particular will be studied, and best practices will be summa-
rized for breakfast in Greece as well as internationally.
For the best documentation of the Greek status quo, a questionnaire
has been designed and uploaded on the HCH website so member
hotels can contribute their standing on the matter. This will enable
the HCH to get a clearer picture of the practices being followed on
how breakfast is offered to customers. A large number of members
have already offered their input and as the study and dissemination
of the results and suggestions to interested hotels draws to a close,
the results are anticipated to be very satisfactory.
The αbove photos are from the HCH event where journalists were
briefed about “Greek Breakfast”
CULTURE AND TOURISM
MINISTER ADDRESSES
AMERICAN-JEWISH
CONFERENCE
A dinner was hosted last month at the New Acropolis Museum by the
Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr Paul Geroulanos for members
of the Conference of the Presidents of Major American-Jewish or-
ganizations.
A tour by Museum Director Mr Dimitris Pantermalis preceded. In pri-
vate talks Mr Geroulanos referred to the opportunity presented by
Greece to offer a unique experience as a tourist destination and great
interest was expressed in the results of his recent trip to Tel Aviv for
the IPTS Exhibition.In his speech, the Minister noted, among others,
“It is our pleasure to once again welcome you to Athens. It is even a
greater pleasure to welcome you to the NAM [New Acropolis Mu-
seum]. I am sure that those who have taken the tour here for the
first time felt the same impressive emotions as I did on my first vis-
it to the Museum.
During the tour, you passed in front of the monument of Calli-
machus. The Callimachus was one of the 10 generals who had to
decide whether to face Xerxes at Marathon or allow him to add the
Greeks to his list of subjects by sparing their city. Callimachus lis-
tened carefully, decided and voted for the battle and the battle was
won. According to Herodotus, we learnt that Callimachus fought and
died bravely in battle. He was one of the few who died. The same
man who had doubts about the importance of the battle had no
doubts about sacrificing his life for the sake of the city. And therein
is the inherent strength of democracy.
If you know our people you will understand that the reason why
democracy was developed was because we do not tolerate anyone
telling us what to do. We chose democracy because we preferred to
go through the arduous process of making decisions for ourselves
rather than let someone else do it for us.
The Battle of Marathon and the vote of Callimachus happened to con-
firm everything we have believed ever since: that the free man in a
free society is a source of much greater intellectual power than those
who choose to sacrifice freedom for any reason. And therein nestles
the power and beauty of the human race. I hope you enjoy Athens
and Greece. Do as many things as you can and keep us in your
memories. We will be happy to see you in our country again.”
GEORGE KOLETSOS
IS GNTO
GENERAL SECRETARY
The Minister of Culture and Tourism Mr Paul Geroulanos re-
cently had a meeting with Mr George Koletsos, who is now Gen-
eral Secretary of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GN-
TO). Mr Koletsos, an experienced executive with studies in Eco-

nomics and Business Administration, made important contri-
butions during his assignment as President of the Organizing
Committee of the Mediterranean Games 2013. He has taken on
his new post at a crucial time for Greece’s promotion as a tourist
destination.
The GNTO presently has two main objectives: to establish a
framework of operations that will allow it to serve its function in
the most effective way, and to implement an ‘aggressive’ strat-
egy in approaching the markets of interest to Greece. These
should be new, but traditional. The inclusion of Mr Koletsos in
the GNTO executive ranks will give the body the means to si-
multaneously work towards accomplishing both of these goals.
From last year, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the GN-
TO made cutbacks, stopped unnecessary costs and left behind
them a history of bad management, aiming to now correct the
state of affairs. At the same time, and despite the economic cri-
sis, GNTO paid off its debts towards foreign media channels,
which had created much negative publicity. This helped rein-
state credibility, as well as set the basis for new methods of
highlighting the Greek tourism product.
A subtle strategy aligned with individual markets/targets has
also since been created, taking full advantage of the Internet and
new communications technologies, as well as redefining
Greece as a destination with unlimited experiences. These ap-
proaches will be strengthened in 2011, with the goal of further
developing tourism and attracting new visitors from all over the
world, throughout the year.
‘GIVING VALUE TO THE
EXPERIENCE OF EATING’
Minister of Culture and Tourism Mr Paul Geroulanos was invit-
ed to address the international conference ‘Giving value to the
experience of eating’.
“Dear Friends,
This conference comes at a crucial time for Greek tourism.At a
time when all institutions of tourism, economic factors and po-
litical leaders share the view that the way we project our coun-
try should include all aspects that make a visit to Greece a com-
plete experience.
Visitors who only want to see the Acropolis or just lie on a
lounger are continuously becoming less. And there is a steady
increase of people who want to experience all that makes the
people of our country so special, everything that makes this
place unique. The numbers of these visitors may still be small,
but their purchasing power is enormous and, more important-
ly, their respect for the culture of the area they visit is much
more developed.
To put it simply: They come to a Greek island to experience its
beauty, to taste the local cuisine, to experience its unique natu-
ral sights and not just to drink beer in a bar, in a country of little
interest.That is why we have to stop thinking of only promoting
the country’s sights and adapt our strategy to the level of an in-
tegrated experience.
The products of the Greek land and the Greek sea, combined
with the traditions and customs related to our diet, are a key el-
ement of our identity. They are the raw materials for a power-
ful and unique experience for every visitor.
Moreover, one can ‘read’ about the history of a place through its
cuisine. It is key to discovering the social and cultural mixtures
that have developed, shaped and ultimately characterized a so-
ciety. So we need to highlight the uniqueness of Greek cuisine
and everything it represents in every way possible. It is there-
fore worth making the Greek diet and the Greek cuisine known
throughout the world.
I started by saying that in order to attract visitors to Greece we
will have to ‘talk’ to the mind, the heart and the stomach. And
that is what you, with the work you do here, can succeed in do-
ing. Good luck.”
TOURISM AND BRANDED
GREEK WINE: A RELATION-
SHIP OF MUTUAL BENEFIT
The discussion with the topic ‘Tourism and branded Greek wine:
a relationship of mutual benefit’, inaugurated by PASOK parlia-
ment member (MP) Ms Maya Tsokli in her course of action as
Ambassador of Branded Greek Wine and rapporteur of the Par-
liamentary Labor Division (CTD) of Tourism was held success-
fully in early February.
[NEWS] | 5
The objective of the roundtable was to bring together represen-
tatives of the tourism and wine sectors to identify potential syn-
ergies for their mutual benefit. According to Ms Tsokli, “Tourism
can provide an effective way out to the availability of agricultur-
al production and the exploitation of agricultural production can
contribute as a catalyst in creating a diversified, quality, modern
(but with a timeless value) tourism product ... So I think that
there is no better authority for an effective approach in the area
of tourism and agriculture than wine. Wine as a product-sym-
bol of the Greek world, but also as a symbol of synergy, since it
is the prime product of team toil and love.”
The round table was attended by: Mr Aris Kefalogianis (Chief
Consultant , Gaea), Ms Antonia Kyriazis (Director General, Greek
Annex Wine & Spirits Education Trust), Mr Stelios Boutaris
(Winemaker, Kir-Gianni Estate), Mr George Pittas (Member of
the Board of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels), Mr Angelos Rou-
valis (President, Association of Greek Wine) and Mr George
Chatzigiannakis (Selini Restaurant, Santorini).
The common goal of those participating in the round table is to
go directly ahead with the drafting and signing of a Memoran-
dum of Understanding between the representatives of the
tourism industry and the wine sector so that the mutual desire
for constructive cooperation can become a reality. The discus-
sion was welcomed and attended by the Minister of Culture and
Tourism, Mr Paul Geroulanos. Also present were PASOK MP Mr
George Haralambopoulos, GNTO President Mr Nikos Kanel-
lopoulos and President of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels Mr
George Tsakiris. The event was held at the IMIC 2011 (Interna-
tional Meetings & Incentives Conference) which this year was
themed ‘Giving value to the experience of eating’.
SITE GREECE AWARDS
‘UNSUNG HEROES’ OF
GREEK TOURISM
A special awards ceremony was held in early February at the
7th IMIC 2011 conference, for the members of the Society of In-
centive and Travel Executives (SITE) Greece, as well as elections
for their new Board of Directors.
SITE Greece awarded the ‘unsung heroes’ of Greek tourism,
honoring two of their colleagues, thereby expressing their
thanks for their important contribution to the field of business
tourism in Greece. Plaques were awarded by GNTO President
Mr Nicholas Kanellopoulos to Mr Apostolos Papayannakis,
Concierge of the Hotel Grande Bretagne, and to Mr Thanassis
Moursioti, Doorman at the Intercontinental hotel.
President of SITE Greece Mr Mihail Argyris pointed out in his
speech at the awards ceremony: “By awarding these people to-
day we thank and award all our colleagues for offering true
hospitality to our guests. With them we honor all those who
welcome our guests at airports, who carry their suitcases, who
news.travelling.gr
6 | [NEWS]
drive taxis and buses and many others. We thank them for their
substantial and valuable assistance to our work. We know that
no matter how well we did our jobs and no matter how suc-
cessful our journey was, your smiles could be the main reason
why someone might come back!”
SITE Greece also held its annual General Assembly, where the
actions of the Society for 2011, involving the active participation
From left, Mr Apostolos Papagiannakis, Concierge of the Hotel Grande Bretagne,
SITE Greece President Michael Argyris, Board of Directors President of the He-
liotopos Group Costas Constantinidis and Mr Thanassis Moursiotis, Doorman at
the Intercontinental hotel.
of tourist matters in the country, contacts with the political lead-
ership for tourism, collaboration with other industry organiza-
tions etc., were announced.The basic aim of the SITE Greece
Board is to attract new members from the entire spectrum of
stakeholders in the tourism business. SITE Greece invites
everyone to get to know the Society and to join, thus exploiting
the full range of advantages offered, by being the most recog-
GNTO President Mr Nicholas Kanellopoulos with SITE Greece President
Michael Argyris and the two award winners
nized association of professional tourism managers in the
world.
The new Board of Directors elected are:
President: Michael Argyris
Vice President: Vicky Evaggeliou
Treasurer: Maria Papadakis
Secretary: Fotis Fotopoulos
Education: George Barboutis
Marketing: Constantine Doukas
Member: Lisa Lehman
PODIX CUTTING OF THE
NEW YEAR’S CAKE
Mr. D.imitris Kakaris,, President of the Hotel Managers Association of Athens,
Mr George Tsakiris, Chairman of the Board of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels
(HCH), and Ms Natassa Antonopoulou, General Secretary of the Panhellenic
Federation of Hotel Managers (PODIX).
The reception marking the coming of the New Year and the cut-
ting of the cake of the Panhellenic Federation of Hotel Managers
(PODIX) & Hotel Managers Association of Athens was success-
fully held at the Athenaeum Intercontinental.
Apart from the members of the Federation and the Association
of Athens, the reception was also attended by hotel managers
and travel agencies, media representatives, especially for
tourism, representatives from embassies and tourism opera-
tors, who in a very intimate and very friendly atmosphere dis-
cussed and exchanged views on critical every day matters con-
cerning tourism and the state of the sector in particular. The
Mr. John Kreys, President of the Panhellenic Federation of Hotel Managers
(PODIX) , Ms Christina Tetradis from the Board of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels,
Mr. Nicholas Kanellopoulos, NTOG President, Ms Natassa Antonopoulou,
General Secretary of the Panhellenic Federation of Hotel Managers (PODIX),
Mr. D.imitris Kakaris,, President of the Hotel Managers Association of Athens
event was honored with the presence of the Deputy Minister of
Culture and Tourism Mr George Nikitiadis, the GNTO President
Mr Nicholas Kanellopoulos and the President of the Hellenic
Chamber of Hotels Mr George Tsakiris.
Mr Dimitrios Kakaris, President of the Hotel Managers Associ-
ation of Athens, welcomed all attending, wishing them “Happy
New Year,” and referred to the general effort to reverse the at-
mosphere created due to the image presented recently by
Athens, but also touched on issues of reform and the modern-
ization of hotel training and of the existing hotel law.
PODIX President Mr John Kreis, after thanking those present for
their warm response, referred to the current economic crisis,
which unfortunately adversely affects tourism development
generally, and focuses, among other things, on the importance
of inbound tourism revenue and the lack of resistance to the
pressures of tourism organizations for reductions or rebates on
agreed prices. He reiterated the stated and effective support of
the Federation executives, not only to the state and the leader-
ship of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, but also to in-
vestors/hoteliers, for creating new jobs. He made a date for next
year, with the hope that the end of the coming season “will greet
us all with a smile.”
Mr George Tsakiris, HCH President, referred to the need to mod-
ernize the Greek tourism product based on new models, with
the collaboration of all stakeholders and with synergies for the
development of alternative forms of tourism. Mr Nikitiadis men-
tioned the importance of tourism for the Greek economy, and
the change in atmosphere over the last year, after a concerted
effort by the leadership of the Ministry and related agencies. He
stressed the need for experienced managers in tourism busi-
nesses and the importance of the position of director of the
tourist scene in the country at large. He analyzed the online
viewing of our tourist product, the actions concerning the de-
velopment and promotion of special thematic tourism and
urged restraint in prices and greater efforts with regard to con-
tracts with tourism agencies.
INTERNATIONAL AWARD
FOR FIVE GREEK ORGANIC
HONEYS
The third international awards ceremony of organic beekeeping
(tasting and quality), BIOLMIEL 2010, was completed successful-
ly in Catania, Sicily, Italy.The event involved a significant number
of beekeepers from many countries, proving that the level of the
quality of their products is constantly improving. From 5-8 De-
cember 2010, the international panel evaluated more than 150
competing products, all of which had been chemically analyzed,
and chose the winners. Parallel events relating to the bee and sus-
tainable apiculture also had great success.
The organization of the event was undertaken by: ICEA (Agency
Certification of Organic Products in Italy), CRA (Research Unit for
honey production) and CIBi (Italian Consortium for organic prod-
ucts). The organization for Greece was undertaken by the Or-
ganization for the Audit and Certification of Biological Products
DIO. Of the eight Greek beekeepers who took part in the inter-
national competition with 13 products, two types of honey won

prizes and three others won distinctions, having demonstrated
the quality of Greek organic honey internationally.
The Greek bio-beekeepers who distinguished themselves in
specific types of honey are:AWARD
• Honey Thyme: Dimitrios Gonidis (Dryopida, Kythnos)
• Heather Honey: Constantine Fasilis (Leonidio, Arcadia)
DISTINCTION
• Fir Honey: Constantine Fasilis (Leonidio, Arcadia)
• Fir Honey: Anthony Dimakopoulos (Argos, Argolida)
• Thyme Honey: P. Maroulis (Langada, Amorgos)
Mr Nicholas Kontolaimos, beekeeping expert agronomist, for-
mer head of the Department of Apiculture YAAT, and distin-
guished taster registered in the European Register of Tasting
Judges was on the international panel. According to Mr Konto-
laimos, “The whole process was completely objective, since the
16 judges were divided into four groups, and the anonymous
samples in six tables, tasting and testing was done by lottery.”
DIO General Manager Mr Spyros Sgouros noted, “The results of
the competition are an important success for our country. This
international recognition of quality justifies organic beekeeping
in Greece and adds an incentive for continuous improvement on
the part of beekeepers, by offering strong export incentives.”
For more information about the competition, or a complete list
of the international winners, please visit www.premiobiol.it, or
contact the Organisation DIO (+30) 210-8224384.
OMIROS’ GOLDEN
FORMULA FOR SUCCESS
Chefs Club President Mr. Miltos Karoubas with members from the Chefs Club
from Crete and Thessaloniki, together with students from Omiros
Students and teachers of the Department of Culinary Art/Chef
of IEK OMIROS experienced total success with their participa-
tion in the competitive section of the 4th International Culinary
Forum, organized by the Chef’s Club at the HO.RE.CA exhibition.
The school's contestants won significant awards in all the cat-
egories they entered, culminating with two gold awards and one
silver award.
The big winner of Top Chef, Athinagoras Kostakos, an associate
of OMIROS and a member of the chefs of the Greek Olympic
team, supported his students’ and with his gastronomic sur-
Mr. Thanassis Skouras, the executive chef of the Presidency of the
Hellenic Republic
prises and advice contributed significantly to the enhancement
of the dishes created. The effort of the participants during the
process was overseen and supported by the Hellenic Head
Chef’s Club of Greece with its Chairman, Mr Miltos Karoubas,
and Executive Chef of the Presidency of the Republic, Mr
Athanasios Skouras, who stood by the budding chefs.
The educational group OMIROS routinely has its students par-
ticipate in competitions to gain experience and get closer to pro-
fessionals in their field. OMIROS also supported the 1st Nation-
al Congress of Gastronomy ‘Kalimera Breakfast’ with its pres-
ence, the first organized effort to establish local Greek food
products on the culinary tourism map, an effort that will con-
tribute to the recovery of the Greek economy.
Hearty congratulations to the heads of the department and to
the teachers as well as to Mr Evangelos Mitsotakis (Food & Bev-
erage Manager of large hotel units), Mr Anthony Karpouzi (Ex-
ecutive Chef) and of course the students who competed.
SUMMER HOLIDAYS EXPO
20-22 MAY IN ATHENS
HELEXPO started its sales promotion for the Summer Holidays
EXPO from the traditional village of Palaio Agios Athanasius Pel-
la and Lake Plastira. The events were organized by the elec-
tronic platform Respond on Demand (with 700 Greek hotel
members), which supports all the resources available to this
year’s Summer Holidays EXPO.
Presentations were given by the Chief Organizer of the Summer
Holidays EXPO, Ms Cryssa Krassa, who briefed tourism opera-
tors from both regions on the opportunities they would gain by
participating in this year’s exhibition, to be held in Athens at the
HELEXPO Palace from 20-22 May.
At the Summer Holidays Exhibition, which is aimed at profes-
sionals in the tourism market and the general public – who dur-
ing that period will be planning their holidays – participants will
have three days to reach the public of Attica, who will visit the
exhibition at a very low cost and to promote sales of their serv-
ices. At the same time, municipalities in their newly created
Kallikratis form will have the opportunity to present their tourist
destinations.
[NEWS] | 7
The prize draws, special offers and interesting parallel events
that cover all the interests of the Greek family are expected to
keep the visitors interest at peak. The aim of HELEXPO is for a
visitor to leave with the best impressions and the most afford-
able purchases. The Summer Holidays EXPO is being held in the
capital for the first time, after four consecutive yearly events in
Thessaloniki and, as in previous years, has the support of the
Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Greek National Tourism
Organization (GNTO).
HERTZ TO GO SOLAR; THE
COMPANY WILL INSTALL
16 SOLAR POWER SYSTEMS
Car rental companies have spent the past several months trying
to one-up each other when it comes to environmental initiatives,
and now Hertz just announced that it plans to install solar power
systems at 16 of its car rental facilities by this fall, with the inten-
tion of eventually expanding further.
Sixteen of the company’s facilities will be retrofitted with a total of
over 2.3 MW of solar photovoltaic systems to begin with. The so-
lar project was initially piloted in December at the Denver Inter-
national Airport. A 1,018 panel, 235 kW system was placed there
and Hertz said it is expected to produce 342,766 Kwh of AC output
and will offset approximately 650,000 pounds of CO2 annually.
Currently, Hertz has 8,400 locations in 146 countries worldwide,
and also operates the Advantage car rental brand at 26 U.S. air-
ports.
The other stations being worked on are in Arizona, California, Col-
orado, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York,
and Pennsylvania.
“Hertz leads the industry in sustainable practices,” said Richard
Broome, Senior Vice President of Hertz. “From our commitment to
electric vehicles and other low emission vehicles to our imple-
mentation of reduced water usage and now our solar program, we
are at the forefront of integrating sound environmental practices
with pro-consumer service, efficiency and growth strategies.”
Earlier this year, Hertz said that it would start renting out the
Chevrolet Volt extended-range electric vehicle to its customers.
The company will also offer the Nissan Leaf this year at select
rental locations in the U.S. and Europe, while it will start renting
out the all electric Coda EV sedan in California in 2012.
It currently offers a “Green Collection” in its U.S. fleet, including the
Smart ForTwo, the Toyota Prius and the Nissan Altima hybrid,
CNET reports.
Not to be outdone, Enterprise, which operates Alamo Rent A Car,
Enterprise Rent-A-Car, and National Car Rental brands, said it
would reduce both energy use and costs by 20 percent over the
five years to 2015. The company plans to invest $150 million over
the next five years to meet its goals. Enterprise has also begun to
rent the Chevrolet Volt, and will be offering the Nissan LEAF and
news.travelling.gr
8 | [NEWS]
Coda EV when they become available.
As we’ve said in the past, EVs and plug-in hybrid electric vehi-
cles fit well with car rental companies because it gives cus-
tomers an opportunity to experiment with the new technology
before they decide to purchase it. It also helps them learn more
about charging infrastructure and the different options available
to plug-in cars. Besides, most people who rent cars, use them
for shorter trips, eliminating range anxiety.
THE SNOW TRAIN TAKES
YOU TO KAIMAKTSALAN
As of mid-February, ski and snowboard lovers and all guests of
the Kaimaktsalan ski center can travel from Thessaloniki to
their favorite northern mountain range using a convenient and
economical combination of train and bus transportation, which
is being inaugurated by TRAINOSE.
With two pairs of routes from Thessaloniki to Arnissa and back,
TRAINOSE’s new service, the Snow Train, takes you not only to
the magical Kaimaktsalan but also to a new era of thematic and
modern rail transport. A modern train, equipped with bar and
restaurant in three of its five wagons, a playground, and spe-
cial luggage rack for the easy transfer of your personal ski and
snowboard equipment, makes your transportation from Thes-
saloniki to Arnissa a pleasant and enjoyable experience.
In addition TRAINOSE provides a 50% discount on ski passes to
the ski resort of Kaimaktsalan to passengers of the Snow Train
and has negotiated extra discounts for catering products, rental
equipment, accommodation etc., with several businesses in the
old village of Agios Athanasios. There will soon be many more
deals and partnerships available for weekend accommodation
packages, exclusively for passengers of the Snow Train.
Frequency: Every weekend. Cost: 22 Euros return (price in-
cludes ticket and transportation by the TRAINOSE bus to
Kaimaktsalan and to the old village of Agios Athanasios). Extra
discounts: 50% off the ski pass, significant discounts for food,
accommodation and equipment in the old village of Agios
Athanasios. Tickets: From SS Thessaloniki, and the option for
purchase via the web ticketing service of TRAINOSE at
www.trainose.gr will be available soon. For more information,
call 1110.
DEVELOPING MODERN
PORT INFRASTRUCTURE
REQUIRED TO GROW
CRUISE INDUSTRY
Greece, the East Mediterranean and the Black Sea can reap the
benefits of rapid growth in the European cruise industry, provid-
ed that they press ahead with new investments to upgrade the in-
frastructure of their existing cruise ports and in the creation of new
ports, according to Mr Giovanni Spadoni, President of the Euro-
pean Cruise Port Union, MedCruise.
On the occasion of MedCruise’s announcement that puts the Posi-
donia Sea Tourism Forum under its auspices and at the same time
includes it in the official list of its events, Mr Spadoni stressed that
this is an important initiative for the development of the cruise in-
dustry in Greece and the wider region, and noted that such an ef-
fort must be accompanied by a major investment program to up-
grade infrastructure of ports according to their individual needs
and the specific characteristics of each destination.
According to the official cruise industry statistics, the Mediter-
ranean is expected to surpass the Caribbean and become the
number one worldwide cruise destination within the next decade.
This highlights the importance that the Greek ports will acquire,
especially Piraeus being the main port of departure, intensifying
the need for direct investments to be ready to welcome increased
traffic and create new destinations.
Greece’s total income of from cruises reached 598 million Euros,
ranking it seventh amongst the beneficiaries of the European
cruise industry, with a 4.3% of its total turnover generated from
cruises to Europe. The fact that Greece was the first transit desti-
nation with a 20.9% share and with total arrivals of 4,973,000 vis-
itors highlights the preference of passengers for Greece and that,
with appropriate investment and development of new services,
our country can reap a greater proportion of the total turnover
generated by the industry.
Mr Theodore Vokos, Project Manager of the first Posidonia Sea
Tourism Forum, stated: “The Mediterranean currently attracts 58%
of European cruise tourists, mainly from the more mature mar-
kets that are familiar with the product, such as England, Germany,
France, Spain and Italy. This figure is expected to increase, and
therefore it is imperative that the tourism product be enriched by
adding new destinations, which highlights the future importance
of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea with destinations
that have not yet been saturated, e.g., the Western Mediter-
ranean.”The Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum will be held under the
auspices of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs Islands and Fisheries,
the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, the Association of Greek
Tourism Enterprises (SETE) and the support of MedCruise. Spon-
sors of the conference are the Port of Piraeus and the Athenaeum
Intercontinental Athens.
LOUIS CRUISES LOWERS THE
GREEK FLAG FROM THEIR
CRUISE SHIPS
Louis Hellenic Cruises, up to now the only cruise company fly-
ing the Greek flag on their cruise ships, is changing their flag,
which will result in the Greek cruise being removed from the
map.The company’s plans were revealed by the Pan-Hellenic
Union of Merchant Marine Sailors (PENEN), in an open letter to
Prime Minister George Papandreou and notification to all polit-
ical parties and their ministers, titled ‘Do not put the gravestone
on the Greek cruise and on Greek sailors’.
With this letter we want to present the risk that is being faced for
the first time in the post-war period of our country, the perma-
nent loss of Greek cruise ships under the Greek flag and the dis-
missal of the hundreds of Greek sailors who have, until recent-
ly, been working in these,” says PENEN. “This is the period when
Greek sailors are usually recruited to man the cruise ships and
the start of the new summer season. The only cruise company
flying the Greek flag announced that it will lower the Greek flag
and fly the Maltese flag, and that henceforth it will not employ
Greek sailors … Unfortunately, the law on the liberalization of
cabotage, as we had then pointed out to the relevant govern-
ment ministers, will result in the abandonment of the Greek flag
and expulsion of Greek seamen. Moreover, the claims of pro-
pagandists that the liberalization of cabotage will bring ships of
various flags of countries that would use Piraeus and other
Greek ports as a starting point, have been proven to be myths
and false hopes.”
The President of PENEN, Mr Anthony Dalakogiorgos, addressing
the Prime Minister, said: “Sir, before the imminent threat to the
Greek cruise ship industry to lose its identity and to Greek
sailors (who have made an enormous contribution to the de-
velopment of our industry) to be ostracized from the cruise ship
industry forever, we invite you to take the immediate initiative to
ensure that the Greek flag remains on cruise ships and to en-
sure the work of Greek seamen with structured rights.
With regards to this, a meeting should be held immediately – a
meeting of stakeholders and decisions be taken in this frame-
work, which will help the development of the economy, of ma-
rine tourism on the islands, our jobs and the rights of our sea-
men.”
Louis Cruises issued a statement on their decision to change

the flag: “The new institutional framework that is currently in
place with the lifting of cabotage makes cruise ships flying the
Greek flag uncompetitive, as is evident by the inequality pre-
sented in operating expenses when compared with similar ves-
sels of other flags. For this reason, we have no choice but to
change the Greek flag.”
ENTERTAINMENT IS A BIG
ALLURE ON ROYAL
CARIBBEAN’S NEWEST SHIP
Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas is nicknamed the enter-
tainment ship for good reason. There’s so much to see and do,
you’ll have a hard time seeing it all — even on a seven day
cruise. But you’ll have fun trying.
While its sister ship, Oasis of the Seas, has Hairspray, the mu-
sical Chicago was brought to the Allure. It’s essentially the same
performance as seen on Broadway. The huge ship affords a
large stage, which allows plenty of room for the performances,
including the full Chicago orchestra performing on stage, just
like in the original version. The story of fame, fortune and heart-
break is located in the Amber Theater on select nights of each
cruise. If you know Chicago, you know it’s a little risqué and not
recommended for children.
Blue Planet is an environmental experience on the Amber The-
ater stage. It transports you to all different parts of the Earth
with music, dance and impressive set designs. Prepare to be
wowed by heart-felt songs, energetic dances and things that
may not be what they seem.
Oceanaria is billed as a mystical under-the-sea adventure. So
it’s fitting for it to be performed in the AquaTheater, making full
use of the pool, diving boards, trampoline and more. You’ll see
aerialist, dancers and divers all choreographed to music. It’s a
great show with a wonderful setting as you sit under a ceiling of
stars. There are many performances throughout the cruise so
you shouldn’t have to miss it.
Ice Games is a one of two ice skating shows. This one brings
the beloved game of Monopoly to life, mixing in scenes from the
ship. As with the other ice show, it features world class skaters
and can only be seen on the Allure of the Seas. You’ll join Hic-
cup and the gang in the adventure of How to Train Your Dragon
on ice. The mythical creatures are brought to life in a shortened
version of the DreamWorks family movie.
Let You Entertain Me is a fun and energetic show located in the
AquaTheater. It stars the characters from the Dreamworks
family movie Madagascar. Alex, Gloria and Mort need the audi-
ence’s help in bringing water back to the jungle. If you’re trav-
eling with kids, make sure they see this production as well as
the Move it! Move it! parade that happens right down the center
of the Royal Promenade. This your chance to see all of the
DreamWorks characters dancing, hooting and hollering down
the street. Photo ops with the characters are also available most
days.
In addition to the productions listed, there are various other club
shows and bands available, including the very popular Comedy
Club.
It’s suggested you go online and reserve the shows you really
want to see before your cruise as well as for shore excursions
and specialty restaurants as well. The more popular ones tend
to book up before the ship sails. But don’t worry, even without
reservations, with a little patience, you can still get into the sold-
out shows. At 10 minutes before showtime, they open up the
doors for those standing by.
Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas sails out of Port Everglades
in Ft. Lauderdale on seven night Caribbean cruises.
Jackie Roseboom is a regular contributor to Cruise Guide and
CruiseNewsWeekly.com
NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE
PRESENTS ITS NEW PRO-
MOTION WITH GREAT
FAMILY SAVINGS – KIDS
CRUISE HALF PRICE
“Kids cruise half price”: that’s the new savings formula for fam-
ilies travelling with Norwegian Cruise Line. Families who book
a peak season summer cruise in the Mediterranean on board
Norwegian Epic or Norwegian Jade (travel dates: end of June
until beginning of September 2011) between February 15 and
March 31, 2011 will now receive a discount of up to 50 percent
off the adult price for a child of 17 years or younger sharing the
stateroom with one adult. But the “Kids cruise half price” offer
is not only advantageous for single parents travelling with a
child.
Large families can also save by booking two staterooms at the
attractive single-with-child price and additionally enjoying more
space for their perfect holiday at sea. Of course, the attractive
NCL child prices for children travelling as the third or fourth per-
son in the stateroom, which start at 99 Euro, remain in effect.
For example, as part of the current family promotion, one adult
plus child on the 7-night cruise “Barcelona & Western Mediter-
ranean” on board Norwegian Epic travel from 1.225 Euro per
stateroom. The 7-night cruise “Venice & Classic Mediterranean”
on board Norwegian Jade from/to Venice can be booked for as
low as 1.191 Euro per stateroom with the “Kids cruise half price”
offer, and the 7-night cruise “Venice & Greek Isles”, also from/to
Venice, is available from 1.289 Euro per stateroom.
For an unforgettable family holiday Norwegian Cruise Line of-
fers in addition to attractive prices the perfect entertainment
programme for kids, with professional childcare in the Kids’ and
Teens’ Crews complimentary during sea days (on days in port at
[NEWS] | 9
a nominal fee) as well as a wide range of game and fun activi-
ties like a separate children’s pool, waterslide, table tennis or
teen disco.
A special cruise highlight awaits families on July 24 on board
Norwegian Epic: The 7-night “Nickelodeon All Access” theme
cruise will give guests exclusive access to a fun-filled cruise of
Nickelodeon-themed entertainment all day, every day with the
opportunity to meet famous Nickelodeon characters such as
SpongeBob Square Pants as well as the stars of the Nick-
elodeon show iCarly. Additional programming features signa-
ture messy game shows like Slime Time LIVE! and poolside
events as well as character breakfast every day of the cruise.
TRAVELPORT EXPANDS
AFRICA FOOTPRINT
IN ALGERIA
Travelport, the business services provider to the global travel
industry and operator of both the Galileo and Worldspan plat-
forms, announces the launch of Travelport Algeria; Travelport’s
exciting new venture providing GDS operations in Algeria. The
announcement forms part of Travelport’s previously stated
strategy of investing in Africa and expanding its footprint across
the continent.
Travel agency customers in Algeria, will be supported by Trav-
elport Algeria, which will be headed up by general manager,
Lotfi Skander, who until recently served as director of sales and
marketing for Amadeus Algeria. With over 15 years’ experience
in the travel and airline industry, Lotfi Skander is a well known
figure in the Algerian travel industry.
Commenting on Travelport’s latest investment, Mark Meehan,
managing director for Africa, said: “This new partnership marks
an important milestone for Travelport as we further strengthen
our presence and provide increased localised support to our
travel agency customers in this region. Travelport Algeria will
be better placed to work more closely with the local travel in-
dustry and introduce exciting new and innovative products and
services to travel agents in the region.”
According to Mark Meehan, Lotfi Skander is well qualified to
take up the reins of Travelport Algeria. “Lotfi Skander has an ex-
cellent track record, which includes over seven years’ experi-
news.travelling.gr
10 | [NEWS]
ence within the GDS sector during which time he has gained a
deep understanding of local travel agency needs.”
Lotfi Skander, general manager of Travelport Algeria, com-
mented: “This new partnership with Travelport means that trav-
el agents in the country will now have far greater choice when
it comes to selecting a GDS provider and I firmly believe that
they will be as excited by the Travelport offering as I am; I think
this is great news for the local travel industry.
In conclusion Lotfi Skander said: “I am confident that a local
presence including a state-of-the-art customer helpdesk and
training centre will really encourage the further development
of both the GDS and travel sector in Algeria.”
BUSINESS ON BOARD AND
HILTON HONORS FROM
OLYMPIC AIR
Mr. George EFstratiades, Deputy CEO of Olympic Air & General Manager of
MIG.& Mr. Bart Van De Winkel, General Manager Hilton Greece and Cyprus..
An event hosted by Olympic Air to honor all members of the new
corporate loyalty programs Business on Board was recently
held at the Hilton Hotel. The event presented the great advan-
tages of this new program for passengers and the major new
collaboration with Travelair Club HHonors (Hilton Honors) of the
Hilton group of hotels worldwide.
Business on Board is Olympic Air’s company loyalty program
that rewards all companies in Greece and abroad, offering sig-
nificant benefits to companies whose executives make their
business trips with Olympic Air. By registering for free for the
reward program Business on Board, each firm earns miles that
can be cashed in for free tickets to any destination of the
Olympic Air network. The benefit of the Business on Board is
two-fold. Along with the company, employees using their Trav-
elair Club personal card can also enjoy unique privileges in the
air and on the ground, earning miles that they can cash in eas-
ily for a choice of services or high quality products.
With regard to the new major cooperation between Travelair
Club and Hilton Honors, passengers may choose to stay at any
Hilton family hotel in the world and earn 1 mile for the Travelair
Club and 10 HHonors points for every US Dollar they spend.
The list of hotels that the Hilton group represents and which are
included in the program are: The Hilton Hotels, Conrad Hotels &
Resorts, Waldorf Astoria Hotel & Resorts, Doubletree, Hilton
Garden Inn, and internationally acclaimed for providing spe-
cialized services Hampton, Homewood Suites by Hilton and Em-
bassy Suites Hotels.
AEGEAN: NET LOSSES
FOR 2010 AFTER TAXES
ARE ESTIMATED AT
€22-24 MILLION
Aegean Airlines carried 6.23 million passengers in 2010, 5% less
compared to the previous year. In the international network,
with the addition of new routes, the company carried 3.06 mil-
lion passengers, achieving 9% y-o-y growth. On the other hand,
due to weak demand conditions, passengers carried in the do-
mestic network declined by 16% to 3.17 million passengers with
a significant reduction in average fare.
Revenue for 2010 settled at around €590 million while net loss-
es after taxes are estimated at €22-24 million, including ex-
traordinary social contribution tax of €8 million. Demand weak-
ness in the domestic market and the rise in the price of fuel
were the main contributors to the loss.
In order to address the effects of the Greek economy crisis, the
company proceeded during 2010 with a significant fleet and ca-
pacity reduction, mainly in the domestic network. In addition to
that, new systems applied also due to the Star Alliance entry,
yielded positive results in the direction of the efficiency and cost
reduction. The operation of a one type fleet by the end of 2011
consisting of young Airbus A320 family aircraft is expected to
yield further benefits.
During 2011, weak domestic consumption will continue to im-
pact the results mainly of the domestic network but during the
winter months also the international network, when there is on-
ly a small number of foreign visitors. Initial indications for the
tourism season are positive, but it is too early for final esti-
mates. Hence, given the further rise of fuel prices, it is very like-
ly that 2011 will also be loss making despite the improvement
of the Company’s productivity.
Mr. Dimitris Gerogiannis, Managing Director, commented: “De-
spite the difficult economic environment, the company will con-
tinue during 2011 to develop its international presence, with
prudent gradual steps, in line with its strategic direction of the
last five years. At the same time, we will continue to invest in
further improving our productivity and unit cost efficiency to-
wards international best in class levels. This is essential to en-
able us to provide innovative services to our customers while
having attractive fares and offers which are especially valuable
during the current crisis“.
EASYJET PASSENGER
NUMBERS RISE TO 50M
EACH YEAR
easyJet, has reached an important milestone in its history as it
now welcomes 50 million passengers each year.
The airline has seen phenomenal growth since it began oper-
ating in 1995, increasing in size from just two aircraft, with two
routes and carrying 424,000 passengers in its first year. Today
easyJet is one of the largest airlines in Europe operating 196
aircraft on 552 routes, across 30 countries.
Increasingly both business and leisure travellers are choosing
easyJet, because of our low-fares, convenient airports, and
friendly on-board service.
To mark the milestone Laura Tabourin, who lives in London and
regularly uses easyJet to visit her family in France, became
easyJet’s 50 millionth passenger this year. She was travelling
to Bordeaux from London Luton Airport and was presented with
a bottle of champagne, and given a flight voucher for two peo-
ple to travel anywhere on the easyJet.com network.
easyJet’s Chief Executive Carolyn McCall, said: “To carry 50 mil-
lion passengers each year is a great achievement and is testa-
ment to the great service our people deliver on-board. easyJet
has a strong position delivering low-fares, flying people to
where they want to go to, at convenient times with friendly serv-
ice. We aim to provide an easier travel experience for all our
passengers, and look forward to our continued growth over the
coming years.”
NEW ONLINE APPLICATION
LETS TRAVELLERS RATE
LH DESTINATIONS IN
TEN CATEGORIES
Thanks to the new online “City Ratings” application, Lufthansa
customers can now ratethe airline’s worldwide destinations,
share their personal recommendations with other passengers
or find inspiration for their next holiday based on other people’s
experiences, ideas and travel tips.

And they can find answers to questions like these: Which city
offers a fascinating range of cultural events and activities?
Which sights and tourist attractions make the hearts of young
and old alike beat faster? Which major city has the most tempt-
ing array of shopping options? And where can the best culinary
highlights be enjoyed?
The new application, which can be accessed via
www.lufthansa.com, will enable users to share their first-hand
experiences and impressions – a valuable source of informa-
tion for travellers before they embark on their journey. In order
to use this function and give Lufthansa destinations worldwide
a star rating, all you have to do is log on to www.lufthansa.com
and submit a brief personal profile. You can then award up to
five stars in each of the ten categories listed, which include
“Sightseeing”, “Family”, “Eating & Drinking” and “Nightlife”.
Users are free to decide whether they wish to award a star rat-
ing for just one category or for all ten. The ratings are added to-
gether and then automatically averaged out to produce the city
rankings, which provide further orientation for anyone planning
a trip.
Moreover, if passengers have special tips or personal recom-
mendations for other travelers, they can also submit a text that
can be easily passed on to other users.
RYANAIR OPENS 16 NEW
ROUTES TO KOS & RHODES
Ryanair, announced 16 new routes, including routes to current-
ly un-served markets, to the Greek holiday destinations of Kos
and Rhodes from April 2011. Ryanair now offers 30 Greek routes
to/from Kos, Rhodes, Volos and Thessaloniki. Ryanair’s Greek
traffic will grow to over 700,000 passengers in 2011 sustaining
up to 700 jobs and delivering over €350m in tourism revenues
for the benefit of the local economy.
Ryanair celebrated its 30 Greek routes in 2011 by launching a 1
million €6 seat sale for travel on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and
Thursdays in late February and March which were available for
booking until midnight Monday (7th Feb). Ryanair’s 16 new
Greek routes go on sale on www.ryanair.com on Friday 4th Feb.
Ryanair’s Melisa Corrigan said:
“Ryanair is delighted to boost Greek tourism and the Greek
economy with 16 new low fare routes to Kos and Rhodes, in-
cluding new routes to currently un-served markets such as
Lithuania. Ryanair’s 30 Greek routes will deliver 700,000 pas-
sengers p.a., sustaining 700 local jobs and ensure over €350m
to the local economy.
Ryanair to launch Thessaloniki service from Apr 2011
Ryanair from mid-April 2011 is launching new service to Thes-
saloniki in Greece, its 4th destination in the country. It’ll offer
service from Brussels Charleroi, London Stansted, Oslo Rygge
and Stockholm Skavsta.
Schedule:
Brussels Charleroi – Thessaloniki eff 14APR11
FR6446 CRL1310 – 1730SKG 73H 4
FR6446 CRL1400 – 1820SKG 73H 26
FR6447 SKG1810 – 2025CRL 73H 4
FR6447 SKG1900 – 2115CRL 73H 26
London Stansted – Thessaloniki eff 13APR11
FR8582 STN1215 – 1750SKG 73H 15
FR8582 STN1235 – 1810SKG 73H 3
FR8583 SKG1815 – 1940STN 73H 15
FR8583 SKG1835 – 2000STN 73H 3
Oslo Rygge – Thessaloniki eff 14APR11
FR9433 RYG0640 – 1155SKG 73H 26
FR9434 SKG1220 – 1535RYG 73H 26
Stockholm Skavsta – Thessaloniki eff 16APR11
FR1674 NYO0700 – 1215SKG 73H 47
FR1675 SKG1240 – 1555NYO 73H 47
ETIHAD WELCOMES ACCC
AUTHORISATION OF VIRGIN
BLUE ALLIANCE
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates,
has welcomed the announcement by the Australian Competi-
tion and Consumer Commission (ACCC) granting authorisation
for an alliance between Etihad and the Virgin Blue Group of Air-
lines for five years.
The authorisation gives a green light for the airlines to cooper-
ate on joint pricing and scheduling of services across their re-
spective networks. This means that Etihad Airways and the Vir-
gin Blue Group will offer their customers a new combined glob-
al network of more than 100 destinations worldwide.
James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, said: “To-
day’s announcement by the ACCC to grant authorisation of Eti-
had’s alliance with the Virgin Blue Group for a period of five
years is fantastic news for both airlines and for our customers,
and is a positive step towards growing our already strong posi-
[NEWS] | 11
tion in the Australian market.
“The alliance will contribute to growing Etihad’s share of the
Australian corporate and leisure markets and increase our ap-
peal as the airline of choice for travellers to Australia and the
South Pacific from the Middle East, Europe and UK.
“This is just the beginning. We hope to expand the partnership
over time, providing greater benefits to travellers by growing
competition and opening new routes.”
The alliance means that from 24 February 2011 Virgin Blue’s in-
ternational arm, V Australia, will commence direct services to
Abu Dhabi, moving towards a combined total of 27 weekly serv-
ices between Abu Dhabi and Australia.
These services include double-daily flights between Abu Dhabi
and Sydney, daily between Abu Dhabi and Melbourne, and six
frequencies per week between Abu Dhabi and Brisbane.
The partnership will open up 45 new destinations in Australia,
New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and the west coast of Ameri-
ca. Etihad’s customers will now be able to fly from Etihad’s
home-base in Abu Dhabi to Australia and connect seamlessly
to Virgin Blue destinations in the Australia-Pacific region. Cus-
tomers will also be able to earn and redeem frequent flyer miles
for any Etihad or Virgin Blue flight, along with reciprocal serv-
ice benefits and lounge access for top tier members of both pro-
grams.
OLYMPIC HANDLING’S
NEW SERVICE AT
EL. VENIZELOS AIRPORT
The company handling the Olympic Group recently launched a
new children’s corners in the Olympic Handling CIP lounges, ‘A.
Onassis’ and ‘M. Mercouri’ rooms. The new service is offered
free to passengers in Business Class on a total of 23 Greek and
foreign partner airlines of Olympic Handling. Access to the
rooms and the new service is also provided for a 30 Euro fee,
regardless of location and airline used by the passenger.
This is an area that is simple, but warm and friendly like a
child’s room, where passenger-parents can entertain their chil-
dren traveling with them, so that the younger traveler’s flight
starts off relaxed and trouble-free.
Spatially and aesthetically the area is isolated from the rest of
the lounges and is aimed at children aged 2-10 years old. The
children’s corners are equipped with tables and coloring books,
crayons, books, board and other games. The children are su-
pervised by their parents. The new children’s corner - CIP
Lounges demonstrate the importance that Olympic Handling at-
taches to the safety and efficacy of high standards of its per-
sonalized services.
www.travelling.gr