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4 | [NEWS]
CONFERENCE TOURISM JOINT MINISTERIAL
AND INSTITUTIONAL DECISION ON TRAVELS
CHANGES IN GREECE BY SHIPS FLYING THIRD
COUNTRY FLAGS
ment market are dynamic”, The meeting was organised in col- The Deputy Minister discussed issues of development services
laboration with the Greek-Russian Chamber of Commerce and to destinations in Greece with them, and about the investment to
was entitled “Russia-Greece-Cyprus political, economic, cul- create specific port reception facilities and services (cruise ship
tural synergies present and future”. Mr Nikitiadis summarised docks, passenger stations etc.).
the “four milestones” of the relations between Greece and Rus- During his official speech, Mr Nikitiadis stated that Greece would
sia as “orthodoxy, culture, education and the civilisation” of the stand by both the cruise companies and professionals active in
Russian people, and set the tone of possibilities that exist for this area and explained the new law on fast track investments,
the two sides to develop relations with numerous, common ma- and also analysed the guidelines on a new strategy for Greek The CEO of Athens International Airport S.A., Mr. Yiannis Paraschis,
terial benefits. tourism. and the President of the Greek National Tourism Organization, Mr.
Mr Nikitiadis stated that the target of his ministry was to get After the speech, Mr Nikitiadis answered questions and referred Nikolaos Kanellopoulos, sign the Memorandum of Understanding.
Russians to visit Greece throughout the year and enjoy all forms to other forms of tourism, describing the context in which the
of alternative tourism that the country offers; in this regard he agreement signed under the law of the liberalisation of cabo- service.
made special mention of the country’s ski resorts and stated tage would work. According to the Memorandum, in light of the cooperation be-
they could be integrated into a broader package tour with a During his stay in Cannes, the President of Louis Hotels and tween the GNTO and AIA, the following blocks of activities are
range of other activities of interest to visitors to the country. In Louis Cruises, Mr Costakis Loizou, hosted a working lunch with included: cooperation in areas of communication/ advertising
this context, he announced that the ministry is in touch with tour professionals in the Deputy Minister’s honour, which among issues of common interest with the aim of developing the
operators to help them with their work. Moreover, the deputy others was also attended by Christopher Hayman, President of tourism product and movement, as well as joint participation in
Minister noted that steps have been taken so that Russians can SEATRADE Communications Group. international exhibitions; Conferences, meetings, and coopera-
receive any information about Greece and tourist potential via Mr Nikitiadis gave interviews to the SEATRADE INSIDER Maga- tion in carrying out market surveys, or participation in GNTO in-
the Internet. zine and DREAM World Cruise Destinations professional jour- vestigations already being carried out by the Athens airport.
nals, visited more than 100 booths at the SEATRADE Cruise Ex- The GNTO strategy for development and synergy with any enti-
ty associated with the promotion of tourism in Greece is
DEPUTY MINISTER OF hibition, and held meetings at the Greek booths where he met
with representatives from the port authority of Kos, Igoumenit- strengthened significantly through collaboration with the AIA,
CULTURE AND TOURISM sa and Volos, as well as with representatives of the Port of Her-
aklion. He also met with representatives of the Turkish port of
one of the most modern, functional and secure airports in the
world, in a prime location with sophisticated technological in-
ATTENDS ‘SEATRADE MED’ Marmaris, the Port of Barcelona (one of the largest cruise ports frastructure and a high level of service, all of which rank it
amongst the most important aviation centres in southeast Eu-
Significant opportunities that are emerging in cruise ship in the Mediterranean) and other Mediterranean destinations,
which included a short meeting and exchange of views with rope. As a strong pillar of economic and social development at
tourism and the prospect of investments in port projects in
representatives of the Cyprus Ports. a local and national level, the AIA is active in providing a wide
Greece, after the lifting of cabotage, were analysed by the
Mr Nikitiadis had a formal meeting with the Mayor of the City of range of consultancy services in Greece and abroad, ranging
Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr George Nikitiadis,
Cannes, Mr Bernard Brochand, who is also a Member of the from information technology (IT) and telecommunications sec-
at the 8th World Conference on cruises, ‘SEATRADE MED’, which
French Parliament. The Mayor described the structure and tors and their operational readiness, to conducting market re-
was held recently in Cannes.
methodology by which the Cannes attracts and develops search services and airline marketing.
In a room with more than 200 professionals from the cruise
trade, ports and tourism, the President of SEATRADE Mr Hay- tourism, referring in particular to the success of Cannes as the
man welcomed the Deputy Minister saying that this was the first city of conference tourism (with more than 300 conference days S.I.T.E.S.A.P. DELEGATION
time, in the history of these biennial conferences, that a gov- per year) and marine tourism, with over 1,500 berths for large
ernment representative from a foreign country had participat- boats and yachts, receiving a total of some 3.5 million tourists MEETS WITH DEPUTY
ed, and that he was particularly pleased that the country was
Greece, an important destination for Mediterranean cruises.
per year. He accepted the invitation of Mr Nikitiadis that, on a
subsequent trip to Greece, there be cooperation and technolo- MINISTER
Mr Nikitiadis, as keynote speaker, referred to developments in gy transfer to assist the development of these forms of tourism The admission of the industry of Tourism Policy to the Ministry
Greek tourism, particularly to changes in the prospects of cruise in Greece. of Culture and Tourism, instead of with the Ministry of Maritime
ship tourism as a form of inbound tourism and as a develop- Affairs and Fisheries Islands as it is today, was requested at a
MEMORANDUM OF
ment package of fly/cruise to regional airports combined with December meeting by the Chairman of the Board of Greek Pro-
ports, and an opportunity for investment cooperation in the op- fessional Yacht Owners Bareboat Association (S.I.T.E.S.A.P.), Mr
eration of specialised facilities and services for marine tourism. COOPERATION BETWEEN P. Loutriotis, and Board Member Mr K. Hiotis with Deputy Min-
ister of Culture and Tourism Mr George Nikitiadis in the pres-
Mr Nikitiadis held meetings with the leaders of the internation-
al cruise industry, including Mr Manfredi Lefebvre d'Olivio GNTO AND AIA ence of other operators in the industry.
The demands of the industr,ywere submitted in writing to the
(President, SilverSea Cruises) and President of the European A Memorandum of Cooperation was signed by the Greek Na-
Council for Cruises, Mr Tim Marking, General Secretary of the tional Tourism Organisation (GNTO) and the Athens Internation- Secretary, also listed the following:
same Council, and Mr Giovanni Spadoni (President, MED al Airport (AIA), the aim of which is to implement coordinated - The infrastructure in terms of marinas and fishing shelters;
CRUISE), the Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports, which joint actions in order to exploit the potential of aviation as a key - Dynamic advertising policy;
includes more than 70 Mediterranean ports. pillar for the development of tourism products and high quality - A Crisis Committee involving S.I.T.E.S.A.P.;
- S.I.T.E.S.A.P. participation in exhibitions abroad;
news.travelling.gr
6 | [NEWS]
- An exhibition of touristic recreational craft (Ministry of Tourism protect it against a government measure that, instead of bring- raising donations for The Smile of the Child, both in hotels that
- SITESAP and other bodies); ing tourists to Greece, in essence makes the Greek product have expressed an interest as well as on the premises of the
- The integration of industry to the National Strategic Reference more expensive and pushes visitors to competing countries. HCH. At the same time the Chamber will now have a crucial
Framework (NSRF); The industry will proceed with organised demonstrations using role in preventing crime against children. All the hotels in the
- The modification of Law 2743/99 to update it to current condi- tourist buses or by marching to the centre of Athens and to the country will be networked with the Amber Alert mechanism so
tions; regions local prefectures. that in event of the disappearance of a minor the alarm is
- Improving the facilities of the Alimos, Vouliagmeni and Thes- The decision on the mobilisation of coaches throughout the spread everywhere and even hoteliers can help in this impor-
saloniki Marinas. industry will be taken after the meeting that the GEPOET Board tant project.
Deputy Minister Nikitiadis stressed the importance the govern- has with the Minister of Finance; it will depend on whether Together with this cooperation with The Smile of the Child,
ment puts on yachting as an important activity of marine or not the Minister rejects the demands of the Federation and there will be a network of all the hotel units with a counseling
tourism and stated that it is one of the government’s priorities, does not give the tourist offices, buses and other services to support hotline of the specific social institution to inform hote-
firstly due to the comparative advantage of the geomorpholog- travelers and marine tourism equal opportunities to attract liers directly in the event of abuse or behavioural problems of
ical and extensive coastline of Greece, and secondly because it tourists. children during their stay in the hotels, and possible delinquent
is part of the extension of tourist season activities. behaviour of parents towards their children.
The Deputy Minister noted the intention of the government and Referring to the HCH agreement with The Smile of the Child,
the Ministry of Culture and Tourism to take immediate action,
and in cooperation with the competent ministries, initially with:
HELLENIC CHAMBER OF HCH President Mr Tsakiris stressed that such initiatives fell
within the scope of corporate social responsibility, which is
- Advertising activities for the development and promotion of
yachting;
HOTELS SUPPORTS supported by a series of interventions in many areas of social
life in the country.
- Promoting the infrastructure for mooring projects – marinas, “SMILE OF THE CHILD” President of the Smile of the Child Association Mr Giannopou-
resorts, anchorages; los said that the universal cooperation with The Smile of the
- Education and ongoing training of workers in the sector. Child was a particularly important initiative by the HCH because
it surrounds children with a consistent net of safety and care in
the aspect of crime prevention and in the field of offering hos-
GEPOET REQUESTS pitality to the children of Smile of the Child.
MEETING WITH
FINANCE MINISTER ECOLOGICAL CYCLING ...
The Extraordinary General Meeting of the members of the Gen- IN LARNACA!
eral Panhellenic Federation of Tourism Enterprises (GEPOET) The urban commercial centre of Larnaca will remind us of the
held on 8 December, 2010, authorised the Board of the Feder- Far East this Christmas thanks to the cycle-taxi that will have
ation to proceed with an immediate meeting with the Minister one person driving a tricycle, with two seats in the back. Local
of Finance, Mr George Papakonstantinou. The issues discussed residents, visitors and tourists from cruise ships will have an-
during the Extraordinary General Assembly included the ex- The President of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH), Mr other option to experience something different in the city of
clusion of the industry from subsidising the contributions of George Tsakiris, the President of the Association Hamogelo Tou Zeno.
seasonal workers in tourism, the tolerance of the State for theft Paidiou (The Smile of the Child), Mr Konstantinos Giannopoulos The beautiful tricycles, which will traverse many areas includ-
of work from tourist bus enterprises, and of course the exclu- The President of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH), Mr ing Foinikounda, are ecological and operate with the muscle
sion of the reduced VAT rate of 6.5% for travel agencies, tourist George Tsakiris, the President of the Association Hamogelo Tou power of the rider and with the help of a battery charged by so-
buses and yachts without crew. Speakers criticised the contin- Paidiou (The Smile of the Child), Mr Konstantinos Giannopoulos lar energy. The disabled will also have access to these vehicles
ued depreciation of the industry, which creates a sense of pro- agreed on: which will be driven by people with a drivers licence and knowl-
fessional racism by continuing exclusion from the favourable - Showing Amber Alert in hotels; edge of First Aid. The two-seater cycle will hold tours-rides in
package of measures. The State angered the industry with this - Free holidays for children from the Smile of the Chil” organ- various parts of the city.
act. isation; For the Christmas season, three routes have been established:
The Ministers have ignored all written and oral interventions of - Placement of collection boxes for the Smile of the Child in ho- the “City Centre” which is a city tour, the “Arts and Culture Ride”,
both the Federation and the Associations and Institutions of the tels. with stops at various galleries and local craft workshops in the
industry from all over Greece; as such, the case was referred to The HCH decided to offer free holidays at resort hotels through- city and the “Historic City Ride”, with trails and visits to muse-
the Minister of Finance. The Extraordinary General Meeting au- out the country to children from the Smile of the Child and the ums and churches.
thorised the Board of Directors to take all steps necessary to organisation’s associates. The offer is already available at 100 Evening rides are being considered which will enable occupants
redress this gross and provocative exception made by the Gov- hotels in Greece, all HCH members; the number is expected to to enjoy the festively decorated city even more. The project will
ernment. The industry has decided to go ahead with legitimate increase significantly by next spring. enrich the tourist product of Cyprus and produce a challenge to
protests that will not turn against tourism; instead they will At the same time it was decided to place a collection box for be applied in other cities on the island.
[NEWS] | 7
HONORARY AWARD FOR AAHA: “ATHENS-ATTICA” a) The prompt signing of the European Readmissions Agree-
ment with Turkey, which will have to be fully respected, as well
ANASTASIOS JOURNEY TO THE ETERNAL as the principles of the European Union and the interests of the
Member States;
STYLIANOPOULOS DESTINATION b) To implement the Readmissions Agreement with Pakistan,
The destination and
Athens-Attica is c) Put political pressure on third countries as origin of sending
presented in a and thoroughfare, so as to decrease illegal migration flows.
unique album of In order for Greece to meet the challenge of this urgent situa-
quality and ele- tion, it is already implementing the National Action Plan aimed
gance, created by at an overhaul of the asylum system and migration manage-
the Athens-Attica ment. In the framework of community solidarity, Greece, after
Hotel Association coordinated attempts, secured a commitment for quicker de-
(AAHA) and edited posit of the 210 million Euros, which is covered by the External
by journalist Borders Fund, 9,8 million Euros from the 2010 Emergency
Ms. Lia Falirea. Measures Programme, and the sum of 20 million Euros to be
Through this al- provided by the countries of the European Monetary Union
This year’s Xenia Honorary Awards honoured personalities from bum, AAHA want- (EMU).
the arts, literature and tourism for their contribution to the inter- ed to demonstrate The Minister emphasised that all Member States will have to
national promotion of Greek culture. Among those awarded was to everyone, local- show support for the approach Greece is taking, so as to im-
a man who marked the history of Greek tourism and “built” the ly and abroad, that prove on the the ‘Dublin II’ Accord, which as it stands today bur-
cruise industry in Greece with hard work and insight, the late Mr Athens is not a city under siege, a city in constant economic col- dens Greece unequally. The country’s infrastructure cannot face
Anastasios Stylianopoulos, Founder and President of Navigator & lapse, a third world city, but a modern “city break” destination the European problem of illegal migration on its own. Cooper-
Tourist Services Ltd. A versatile and visionary man characterised that has nothing to envy from their respective European coun- ation between Member States will have to be specific and rap-
by enduring pioneering work, Mr Stylianopoulos was one of the terparts other than renown and strategic visibility. This effort id. There is a demand for better coordination and, above all,
pillars of development and consolidation of Greek tourism. In a aims to prove that Athens, Greece as a tourist product has the strong political will and a show of solidarity. In any other case
particularly touching moment, GNTO President Mr Nicholas Kan- same complete infrastructure and services that we all admired the security of our citizens and the consistency of the European
nelopoulos handed the award to his son and successor of his in the summer of 2004 and that all it needs are a few institu- community is at stake.
work, Mr Andreas Stylianopoulos. tional interventions and a sound marketing strategy to finally
win the place it deserves.
COMPLETION OF THE
SPECIAL PROMOTER
POSITIVE RESULTS GREECE – BULGARIA –
AWARD AT THE PHILOXENIA
FOLLOW ENHANCED ROMANIA – HUNGARY RAIL
FOR TRAVELPORT
PRESENCE OF FRONTEX LINE IS TOP PRIORITY
On the occasion of the EU meeting of Ministers of Transport and
AT GREEK-TURKISH LAND Communications that took place in Brussels in early December,
and at a special event organised the European Council and the
BORDERS European Coordinator, Mr Savary, Mr Vougias co-signed with
During the working meeting of the Council for Legislative and the Ministers of Transport and Communications of Hungary, Ro-
Internal Affairs that commenced beginning December in Brus- mania and Bulgaria, in favour of rail line 22, a political declara-
sels, Minister for Citizen Protection Mr Christos Papoutsis, re- tion that will places the completion of this line as a top priority.
ferring to the report of the Council for improving the Protection The route will grant an outward path for Greece’s national rail
of Foreign Borders and the battle against illegal migration, line towards central Europe, through Bulgaria, Romania and
stressed there were positive results in enhancing the presence Hungary.
of FRONTEX at the Greek-Turkish land border. The declaration was signed at a special ceremony in the pres-
Travelport, as part of this year’s Philoxenia, won the Special The observed decrease in illegal migrant movement pressure, ence of the Transport Council head and Vice President of the Eu-
Promoter Award for its presence there. The company was es- following an invitation of the Greek government for the devel- ropean Council, Mr Kallas and the General Manager of Trans-
pecially pleased with the participation at the exhibition and opment of a Rapid Response Team (RABITS), is significant. port head offices, Mr Ruette. It should e noted that Greece has
looks forward to many successful collaborations as a result of The first indications of this positive outcome, the Minister noted, taken on coordination of the energy needs for the rail network
contacts that it made with representatives during the Philoxenia will have to be made a stable feature. To achieve this, he re- of the other three countries as well for the period 2010 to 2014.
Exhibition quested that the following council initiatives expedited:
news.travelling.gr
8 | [NEWS]
HELIOTOPOS SANTORINI OFFSHORE SAILING RACE with all the services and offers of the travel agency. Through a
pleasant functional navigation system visitors to www.naviga-
HOTEL OPENS EARLY
A unique race was successfully held end-November by the Sail-
ing Club of Patra. A race soley for strong people as each boat is tor.gr have the opportunity to make an online booking for a
manned by only one person, this is the 3rd year the event takes cruise to any destination quickly and easily.
place. This year it had a unique feature in that they didn’t all start The award gives the company the impetus for further innovation
off together, but in turn from slowest to fastest. The time al- and online applications that will maintain and enhance the al-
lowances were calculated by the committee two hours before ready high level of service and online benefits.
the start of the race and given at the beginning rather than be-
ing deducted at the end. In this way, although the boats left at NEW VERNICOS YACHTS
different times, they finished almost all together. The race was
held in the Patras Gulf under cloudy conditions and very strong COOPERATION WITH THE
easterly winds gusting at 30 miles per hour, conditions that
were very tiring for the single yachtsmen. Eight craft competed. FRENCH COMPANY DREAM
The Heliotopos will welcome its first guests for 2011 on 1 Feb-
The winner was Mr Yiotis Karabelas with TI MOUN, second was
Mr Lakis Nikolatos with IRIDINI, and in third place was Mr Har-
YACHT CHARTER
Vernicos Yachts announced its strategic partnership with the
ruary. The hotel Heliotopos in Santorini announced that it will ry Kandris with PHOEBE. After the race everyone gathered at
French company Dream Yacht Charter, one of the world’s lead-
open much earlier than usual next season. Special offers, sug- the yacht club to discuss the event and exchange views while
ing companies without a permanent charter boat crew, with a
gestions for interesting activities in Santorini during winter and enjoying a glass of wine. Although the crisis is most evident,
presence in 20 countries and an operation of more than 300
spring time, wines tastings and authentic local cuisine will be hopefully next year the conditions will be better and there will be
yachts. The interaction between the two companies strength-
available to those who choose to visit the island before the nor- more entries.
ens the position of Vernicos Yachts, which is becoming a
mal tourist season. Interest has already been shown by couples “strong” ally in this area of charter boats, while strengthening
from China wishing to get married and who regard Greece as a
12-month destination. More information can be found at
VERNICOS YACHTS HAS the presence of Dream Yacht Charter in Greece significantly ex-
ploiting the productive international marketing network it pos-
http://hotel.heliotopos.net MOVED THEIR MOTOR sesses.
BOAT BRANCH TO VARI The President of the company, Mr George Vernikos, said: “Ver-
TRAINOSE: AIRPORT – The Verinicos Yacht Company, in its ongoing efforts for contin-
nicos Yachts is once again a pioneer, with significant association
at a difficult time, opening new avenues in the field of yachting,
KIATO LINE COMPLETED uous improvement, transferred their motor boat branch to new,
larger and completely refurbished premises at 27 Varis-Koro-
both within and outside Greek borders”.
Following the completion of electric powered transport between pio Avenue in Vari. The new premises combine functionality and
the airport and Kiato, TRAINOSE has announced the new routes aesthetics and visitors have the opportunity to see the entire EPTANISOS SHIP ROUTES
for the suburban railroad operations. In particular, as of 12 De-
cember, 2010, the new route schedule is in effect:
range of new and used boats of the French Beneteau yard and
American Regal Yard up close and be advised by the profes- FOR JANUARY
18 paired trips will cover Peirais – Liosion – Peiraias sional staff. Boat parking is also available on the premises. The The routes of the ship Eptanisos for January will be carried out
Route numbers will be from 4302 to 4337. Frequency will be at Quality Management System of the company is certified under as follows:
a rate of once per hour from Peiraias to Liosia and once per the ISO 9001:2008 standard and this investment marks the com- 2 January 2011 to 31 January 2011
hour from Liosia to Peiraias. pany’s commitment to continuous improvement of its services DAILY EXCEPT SATURDAY
19 paired trips will cover Airport – Liosion – Airport to customers and partners. From Ithaca (Vathi) 07.00 for Sami 07.45-08.30, Patra 11.15
Route numbers will be from 4100 to 4137. Frequency will be at From Patra to Sami 12.30 for Sami 15.15-15.30, Ithaca (Pisaeto)
a rate of once per hour from the Airport to Liosia and once per 15.50
hour from Liosia to the Airport. WINNERS IN From Ithaca (Pisaeto) 16.00 for Sami 16.20-17.00, Patra 19.45
19 paired trips will cover Airport – Magoulas – Airport
Route numbers will be from 4200 to 4237. Frequency will be at ONLINE NAVIGATION From Patra 20.30 for Sami 23.15-23.30, Ithaca (Vathi) 00.15
SATURDAY
a rate of once per hour from the Airport to Magoulas and once Navigator Travel and Tourist Services was awarded with the From Ithaca (Vathi) 07.00 for Sami 07.45-08.30, Patra 11.15
per hour from Magoulas to the Airport. prize for best site. The prizes were awarded for the best publi- From Patra 12.30 for Sami 15.15-15.30, Ithaca (Vathi) 16.15
18 paired trips will cover Airport – Kiato – Airport cations and sites of the travel agency members of the Union on Note:
Route numbers will be from 4400 to 4437. Frequency will be at 19 November 2010 at the International Tourism Exhibition on 1 January 2011 theses routes will not be serviced
a rate of once per hour from the Airport to Kiato and once per “Philoxenia 2010”. The Navigator Travel and Tourist Services ex- 2 January 2011
hour from Kiato to the Airport. celled in innovations that have been implemented on the site From Sami at 07:00 for Ithaca (Pisaeto) 7:15-7:30, Sami 7:45-
With the new routes and schedules a flexible line is created, www.navigator.gr in the last year. 8:30, Patra 11:15-12:30, Sami 15:15-15:30, Ithaca (Pisaeto) 15:50-
linking the Airport ‘Eleftherios Venizelos’ with Kiato in 86 min- The modernisation of Navigator Travel and Tourist Services 16: 00, Sami 16:15-17:00, Patras 19:45-20:30, Sami 23:15-23:30,
utes, while the Liosia – Kiato line last just 58 minutes. website created the conditions for a user-friendly site, enriched Ithaca (Vathi) 00:15.
[NEWS] | 9
news.travelling.gr
10 | [NEWS]
port, added: “Almatur is a specialist travel services provider to ranked as a 5 star services airline, one of the top 5 airlines in to 57 aircraft in 2010.
the Polish youth market with an impressive track record for the world, “Best Business Cabin Class” in the world, “Best Cater- James Hogan, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said:
catering to student needs. We are pleased to provide Almatur ing” for Business Cabin Class worldwide, “Best Airline in the “We have witnessed tremendous growth over the past seven
with the technology and solutions needed to support their on- Middle East”, “Best Services in the Middle East” this new cate- years in our route network, aircraft fleet, passenger figures and
going business requirements and we look forward to support- gory replaces “Best Cabin Crew in Middle East” comprising cus- number of employees.
ing them in the future.” tomer services provided along the entire customer services “Industry and customer endorsement is evidence of Etihad’s
chain from reservations and ticketing to airport check-in and significant achievements over this period and is testimony to
QATAR AIRWAYS in-flight services. the enormous commitment of our staff in delivering the very
best travel experience in the aviation industry.”
CELEBRATING 5 YEARS Emerging from the global recession, 2010 has seen the return
of passenger travel. To date this year, Etihad has carried over 6
OF SUCCESSFUL million passengers and is expected to carry more than 7.3 mil-
lion passengers by the end of the 2010, compared to 6.3 million
OPERATIONS IN GREECE in 2009. The load factor has also increased significantly from 74
per cent in 2009, and is expected to average 77 per cent for 2010.
Five new routes were added to the airline’s global network dur-
ing 2010 - Colombo, Nagoya, Tokyo, Erbil, and Seoul - while ac-
cess to many key destinations on Etihad’s global network was
improved following a 12 per cent increase in the number of
weekly flights from 928 in 2009 to more than a thousand in 2010.
To serve network growth, fleet expansion continued in 2010 with
The event was crowned with the cutting of Qatar Airways birth- the addition of three new aircraft including one A330-300 air-
day cake by Mr Michalopoulos and Mrs Papadopoulou Director craft and two A330-200F freighter aircraft. A further A330-300
of Communications and Marketing of A.I.A, Mr Kanellopoulos, aircraft will come into service by November 13, bringing the
H.E. the Ambassador and Mr Folias and followed a gala dinner fleet complement, including six freighters, to 57 by year end.
for our honourable guests. Growth in the sky was matched by continued expansion on the
ground where staff numbers increased to more than 8000, in-
ETIHAD AIRWAYS
cluding around 2800 cabin crew and over 900 pilots. Etihad cur-
Qatar Airways celebrated 5 years of operations in Greece and rently has more than 60 ‘new-joiners’ each month, drawn from
hosted a Gala Dinner for 180 guests on the 1st December 2010
at Grande Bretagne Hotel. The event was honored by the pres-
CELEBRATES ITS SEVENTH more than 120 different nationalities.
Emiratisation remains a priority for the airline and recruitment
ence of the President of GNTO Mr Nikolaos Kanellopoulos, H.E. ANNIVERSARY of top talent from across the UAE continues. UAE nationals now
comprise 12 per cent of the total workforce, up from eight per
the Ambassador of Qatar Mr Mohamed AL Misnad, the Coun-
selor of Qatar Mr Mohamed Al Hajri, the President of Arab Hel- cent in 2009.
lenic Chamber of Commerce Mr Christos Folias and the Gener- Etihad’s cargo division, Crystal Cargo, continued to expand rap-
al Secretary Mr Mohamed ET El Khazmi, as well as representa- idly during 2010. Cargo shipments and tonnage increased year
tives from our major Airport, GSA partners and marine/corpo- on year by 19 and 20 per cent respectively. The dedicated
rate/leisure travel agencies with whom we have collaborated freighter fleet increased to six after two Airbus A330-200F were
since June 2005, date of Athens route launch. taken into service this year, and scheduled cargo services were
Mr Alexandros Michalopoulos Sales Manager Qatar Airways launched to Hong Kong, Beijing, Erbil and N’djamena, Narita and
Greece & Cyprus opened the event with a speech on Qatar Air- Nagoya.
ways worldwide phenomenal expansion and impressive Etihad Airways won a range awards to add to its growing trophy
growth in the Greek Market highlighting the fact that in 5 years cabinet, including ‘World’s Best First Class Airline Seat’ and
time we grew from 4 flights to 14 flights per week. Since March ‘World’s Best First Class Onboard Catering’ in the annual Sky-
2010 Qatar Airways offers double daily flights ex Athens maxi- trax survey, as judged by over 18 million air travellers world-
mizing connectivity to most of the 92 destinations worldwide wide. The airline was also recognised at the World Travel
and helping passengers to reach favorite destinations as Dubai, Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Awards Middle East with over six awards received including
Seychelles, Maldives, Beijing, Shanghai, Phuket, Bali, Osaka, celebrates its seventh anniversary, November 5, 2010. ‘World’s Leading Airline’.
Tokyo and many others. Finally Mr Michalopoulos briefed the In seven years of rapid growth, Etihad has flown over 26 mil- James Hogan said: “It has been a tremendously exciting and
guests on the international recognition Qatar Airlines has lion passengers on more than 180,000 flights to destinations productive year for Etihad Airways and we are looking forward
gained over the past years commemorating the impressive ac- across the Middle East, Africa, Australia, Europe, North Ameri- to our eighth year of commercial operation, remaining firmly
colade of awards received by Skytrax. Qatar Airways has been ca, and Asia. Over the same period the airline’s fleet has grown dedicated to our target of breaking even in 2011.”
[NEWS] | 11
WASHINGTON: Air France has been serving Washington since 1964 and cur-
rently connects Paris to the American capital twice daily. In the
lighting initial experience with pilot projects at international
tourism destinations.
NEW DESTINATION FOR United States, Air France and KLM operate 186 weekly flights
between Paris, Amsterdam and 13 destinations served with
At the ITB Destination Day, which takes place on every day of the
convention, the focus will be on the Convention & Culture Partner
AIR FRANCE A380 their own aircraft and crew in the U.S. These routes are operat- Mongolia, with a discussion on the prospects for cultural tourism
ed within the framework of the trans-Atlantic joint venture in a country which to date remains relatively unexplored. The ex-
signed in May 2009 between AIR FRANCE KLM and Delta. Under perts on the ITB Asia discussion panel, moderated by the show’s
the terms of this agreement, the partners jointly operate their partner event ITB Asia, will take a broader look at the Asian con-
trans-Atlantic routes, therebv sharing revenues and costs. With tinent. Leading experts will debate the opportunities and potential
nearly 250 daily trans-Atlantic flights, the joint venture, which which Asian tourism regions have to offer.
welcomed Alitalia in July 2010, offers customers access to 300 The ITB Marketing and Distribution Day has become one of the
destinations beyond the 26 North American gateways and 200 leading events at the convention. On Friday, 11 March 2011 mar-
destinations beyond the 33 European gateways throughout Eu- keting and tourism experts will discuss marketing trends and
rope, Asia and Latin America. prospects for tourism around the world, while also taking an in-
depth look at who uses social media and mobile devices as well
ITB BERLIN as the travel behaviour of young people. A specially conducted
survey for ITB Berlin will provide insights into young people’s rea-
Starting 6 June 2011, the Air France A380 will oper- CONVENTION 2011 sons for travelling and their expectations. Mathias Hüske, Head of
Deutsche Bahn Online and Agency Sales will present innovations
ate a daily service between Paris and Washington DC. Visionaries, scientists and practical experts discuss forward-look-
ing tourism trends and findings – with eco-mobility the new key in rail travel.
The federal capital of the United States will thus become the 2nd Following the overwhelming success of last year’s event the ITB
U.S. destination served by the airline’s super jumbo, after New topic in 2011 – Convention & Culture Partner Mongolia focuses on
cultural tourism Media Summit is set to return in 2011.
York, launched one year ago.
From 9 to 11 March 2011 the ITB Berlin Convention will provide a
MITM AMERICAS 2011
Flight schedules (local time):
- AF028 : Paris-Charles de Gaulle 10:40 - Washington 13:00 current and in-depth overview of the trends and key issues af-
fecting the world’s tourism industry. This is the eighth time the
- AF 039 : Washington 16:25 - Paris-Charles de Gaulle 05:45 (+1)
Flight bookings and ticket sales will open on 30 November 2010. convention will be addressing key topics such as hospitality, des- VENUE
In June 2011, Air France will thus operate the A380 to 5 desti- tination marketing, CSR and futurology. On Friday, 11 March 2011
nations out of Paris-Charles de Gaulle : New York-JFK, Johan- the convention will also discuss the topical issue of eco-mobility.
nesburg, Tokyo, Montreal and Washington. The ITB Future Day will open the convention on Wednesday, 9
With the A380, Air France can rationalize its frequencies on March 2011, presenting the latest findings of leading futurologists
these busy routes by combining two flights which leave at sim- on demographics, climate change, natural resources, technology
ilar times while offering the same seat capacity at a 20% reduc- and customer behaviour. Leading international experts will put
tion in operating costs. The main deck of the A380 boasts equiv- forward future scenarios and analyse their effects on the world’s
alent capacity of a Boeing 777-200 and the upper deck that of an tourism. The ITB World Travel Trends Report, an analysis of
Airbus A340-300. 500,000 interviews, will give a forecast global travel behaviour.
Air France’s A380 is currently equipped with 538 seats, divided On Thursday, 11 March 2011 at the ITB Hospitality Day, the con-
between three classes: La Première (First), with 9 seats on the vention will discuss the challenges confronting the hotel industry,
main deck, Business, comprising 80 seats on the upper deck, which is currently facing massive change. Leading figures and
and Voyageur (Economy), with 449 seats divided between the practical experts will discuss current developments affecting the
two decks. Starting next summer 2011, the A380s will be pro- industry, from luxury to budget hotels. The topics at the ITB CSR MITM Americas 2011 VenueThe 17th edition of MITM Americas,
gressively equipped with Premium Voyageur, situated between Day also reflect the trend towards ecological sustainability in the Meetings and Incentive Travel Market, will be held in the city of
the Business and Voyageur cabins, offering 9 seats in Première, hotel industry. Examples of best practices will be given to demon- San Salvador, El Salvador, Central America, November 16th to
80 in Business, 38 in Premium Voyageur and 389 in Voyageur. strate the conditions under which sustainability and luxury can co- 18th of 2011. The event is sponsored by Corsatur, Salvadorean
The A380 is the most environmentally-friendly aircraft – with exist. Other topics on the same day include how CSR impacts on Tourism Corporation.
less than 75g of CO2 produced per passenger kilometre – and companies and climate protection in various countries in Asia. A MITM Americas returns to Central America where it was held back
the quietest aircraft in its category. The roomier cabin offers in- discussion round entitled “The CSR-conscious tourist“ will explore in 2001, in Guatemala.
creased comfort and space. On board this super jumbo, Air customers’ awareness of sustainability awards and CSR seals of Again, MITM will bring to San Salvador top European, USA and Lat-
France has innovated with special lighting ambiences that approval and to what degree they influence booking behaviour. in American MICE buyers to meet with travel and tourism suppli-
change depending on the various stages of the flight, special On Friday, 11 March 2011 the focus will be on eco-mobility, a new ers from all the Americas. In the last edition in Quito, Ecuador, the
areas geared towards relaxation and conviviality and the brand theme at the convention. Experts will discuss the future of mobil- exhibitors rated MITM as fair 1%, good 31% and excellent 68%.
new in-flight entertainment system, featuring larger video ity and forward-looking mobility projects such as solar-powered San Salvador MITM web www.mitmamericas.com will be ready
screens. and electric vehicles. Practical examples will be presented high- for details and registration on-line within two weeks
www.travelling.gr