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MONTHLY TRAVEL GUIDE

HELLENIC

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JUL 2012 No 248

CONTENTS
general HELLENIC
MONTHLY TRAVEL GUIDE

GENERAL

News on pages 2-11

July 2012 No 248

ANIMATION COMPANIES CELLULAR PHONE RENTALS CENTRAL RESERVATIONS SYSTEMS EMBASSIES & CONSULATES in Greece Greek Embassies & Consulates abroad FESTIVALS & FOLK DANCES GOLFING IN GREECE

16 16 12 21-24 24-30 15 15

MUSEUMS NATIONAL TOURISM INFORMATION OFFICES SKI CENTERS SOUND & LIGHT SPECTACLE INTERNATIONAL TELEPHONE CODES TOURISM ORGANIZATIONS

31-36 13-14 16 16 17-20 12-14

ACCOMMODATION

accommodation
CAMPING SITES ______________________________________________________________________________________ 216-226 CHAIN HOTELS _______________________________________________________________________________________ 227-228 CONFERENCE CENTERS ________________________________________________________________________________ 229-232 HOTELS _____________________________________________________________________________________________ 41-215

Ktimatiki Real Estate

Published in Greece by: Info Publications Ltd Publishers: Ms E. Agyridis, Mr. S. Gianiotis

AGENTS & SERVISES

agents & servises

CARGO AGENTS LIMOUSINE SERVICES MOTORCOACH COMPANIES ORGANIZED TOURS RENT-A-CAR OFFICES 349 340 341-344 349 333-340 RENT-A- MOTO RENT-A- RIB TRAVEL AGENTS YACHT BROKERS 340 348 235-332 345-348

2012 rates (including V.A.T.) ...........................................................................................................Euro Single copy .......................................................................................22 POSTAGE EXPENSES (annual) ...........................................................................................................Euro EUROPE ........................................................................................35,5 ALL OTHER CONTINENTS ................................................. 70,5 The information contained in Hellenic Travelling is subject to change without notice. The company and Publishers cannot accept responsibility for mistakes, changes or printing errors.

transportation
a) Air AIRLINES & GENERAL SALES AGENTS.................362-368 AIR SCHEDULES INTERNATIONAL ........................369-381 " DOMESTIC ...........................................382-387 c) Sea AIR TAXI COMPANIES ..................................................................... 368 CHARTER COMPANIES ............................................................... 368 DECODINGS ..............................................................................388-390 b) Land BUS SCHEDULES Public transportation in Athens..................................... 350 To the provinces.......................................................... 351-353 International .......................................................................... 354 RAILWAY SCHEDULES DOMESTIC............................355 DOMESTIC SEA LINES see on www.travelling.gr/dsl/ INTERNATIONAL SEA LINES ............................... 358-360 SHIPPING COMPANIES ........................................356-357 CRUISE COMPANIES ........................................................361

TRANSPORTATION

Head office 51, Pironos Street, 163 41 Athens, Greece Branch 8, Douk. Plakentias St., 152 34 Athens, Greece Tel. 2109940109, Fax 2109936564, e-mail: travelling@travelling.gr

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[NEWS]
Let this year be the last that we play with price
year, Its been said many times, year over editoriGreek tourism is resilient. In this to how al we will not go down the road as ent Greek tourism is and for how resili long. been on For the past two years Greece has thing, the cross fire for anything and every al. A any form of media print or digit on search for the word Greece proGoogle e not duces 152,000,000 results. Of cours to how all is negative but it is a measure as deconmuch effort has been exerted on structing the image of Greece. tourism So what is the reason for Greece's to be resilient and resistant? ce has. Without a doubt its the assets Gree and far most important, its geoFirst superb graphical position which gives it its ion. climate for the perfect summer vacat al clear The unspoiled beaches, the cryst it. The waters and the Blue Flags to prove s, sands of islands and their difference thou each island a unique destination making and all together. The archeological sites hes and the history behind them. The churc in rethe monasteries for those interested authenligious tourism. The cuisine. The k, the tic hospitality of the average Gree of ashotel facilities, etc, etc, etc. The list s list sets is great and we could by no mean them all. are not So what is the reason why we d and swamped with tourist all year roun faces every year? Why every year we are with new challenges?

NEWS contents
Ms. Olga Kefaloyiannis the new Minister of Tourism Initiative Aimed at Strengthening and Promoting Image of Greece as an Ideal Vacation Destination Announced by Greek National Tourism Organisation No visa required for tourism from Turkey for five islands of the Aegean Sea Vodafone Explore Greece. he innovative application for smartphones Hellenic Chamber of Hotels supports Vodafone's major initiative for promoting Greek tourism through innovative digital application UNWTO and WTTC call on the G20 to use tourisms potential for job creation Azerbaijan: Convention & Culture Partner of ITB Berlin 2013 InterRail Pass; Celebrating 40 Years of Rail Travel Roubini: A 1000 travel voucher to be given to every German household Greek Tourism resists, -5%, arrivals in the first five months of 2012 Continuous awards from Tripadvisor.com & Expedia.com for Amazones Hotels in Crete Swissotel hotels to open new deluxe Hotel in Kazan, Russia Qantas Joyce is the new IATA Chairman Lufthansa moves to new offices in Athens Cyprus Airways Cancels Planned Athens London Heathrow Service due Oct 2012 South African Airways to Host 69th IATA AGM Air Transport Leaders to Converge in Cape Town in June 2013 2013change in leadership at ERA Lufthansa improves its in-flight entertainment service China Southern launches London Guangzhou flight routing Germanwings collaborates with Brussels KLM Launches Trip Planner Plan a trip with friends via Facebook Qatar Airways Reflections Photo Contest Etihad Airways announces Loyalty Scheme agreement with Royal Air Maroc JAL to Lower Fuel Surcharges on International Tickets 4 4 4 5 5 6 6 6

and Well my friends its all about marketing that you the 4 Ps. Any marketer knows Ps. Unhave to do a good job on all four but we fortunately we have a great product them inhave to focus on the price to lure project to coming to Greece. We do not nt that everything else so that it is evide fair valthis has value and must be paid a ue. major On the contrary we use price as our tool. By doing this we stoop marketing h are down to compete with markets whic inferior to what we have to offer. to do a So, until we realize that we have using all 4 Ps we can take adgood job year. vantage of our disadvantage this have What do I mean by this. Well we now d to new government which is considere a le and stable, by the markets that be reliab why they we cater to. So their is no reason the Eushould be weary about us leaving the well rozone and the Euro, thus risking be combeing of their clients. This should cated as much as possible. muni is the But what will make a significant mark ce our price. No, we do not imply to redu change prices any further, but we could VAT from the beastly 23 % to some the human. Just this will make a thing more cost of significant difference on the total attracthe package. Thus making us more tive. change Let's not waist any more time and the fithe VAT. Several studies prove that losses. nancial benefits are more than the

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Hellenic Travelling

[NEWS]

Athens Training and Development Center

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 inquiries 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

9 www.seteconferences.gr

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[NEWS]
On June 22 a ceremony took place for the change of ministers, at the offices of the General Secretariat of Tourism, Amalia 12, which is probably also the headquarters of the Ministry of Tourism, from the outgoing interim Minister Ms Tatyana Karapanagioti to the Minister Ms Olga Kefaloyiannis.
The need for an immediate action plan, which will renew the country's tourism model and make it more competitive and productive, said in her speech, Minister of Tourism Ms Olga Kefaloyiannis, undertaking her responsibilities of Minister of Tourism at the ceremony. The Minister stressed the importance of autonomy of the Ministry of Tourism in the effort of developing the national economy and strengthening of GDP, attracting investment and creating new jobs. Ms Kefaloyiannis received the portfolio of the Ministry of the caretaker minister of Culture and Tourism Ms. Tatiana Karapanagioti in the presence of Tourism Secretaries General Ms Konstantina Bey, Culture, Ms Lina Mendoni, Cultural and Tourism Infrastructure, Mr. Pirgioti K. John, President of GNTO Mr. Zikou and General Secretary Mr. Koletsis and other officials. Olga Kefaloyiannis was born on April 29, 1975 in Athens, where she grew up and lives. She is the largest of the three daughters of the late John Kefaloyiannis, Member of Parliament for Rethymnon & Minister and Helen Kefaloyiannis, a lawyer. Since 2010 she is married with Manos Pentheroudakis. She is a graduate of the Athens University, School of Law, with postgraduate studies at King's College on Commercial Law & Business Law and the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy of Tufts University in Boston in International Relations. She works as a lawyer since 1999 and at the beginning of her career she worked in New York and at the Legal Service of the European Commission in Brussels. From 2004 to 2006 she was legal counsel to the Office of the former Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis. In 2007 and 2009 she was elected Member of Parliament for Rethymno with the New Democracy. She is the only woman elected Member of Parliament in Crete with New Democracy. Since December 2009, Ms Kefaloyiannis was responsible for covering Travel and Tourism issues for New Democracy.

MS. OLGA KEFALOYANNIS THE NEW MINISTER OF TOURISM

INITIATIVE AIMED AT STRENGTHENING AND PROMOTING IMAGE OF GREECE AS AN IDEAL VACATION DESTINATION ANNOUNCED BY GREEK NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANISATION
destination on the Internet utilizing social media. The Internet and social media applications are already being used very successfully by the G.N.T.O to post news and to communicate the tourism brand of Greece as a tourist destination. On this basis, it was considered necessary to develop an online reputation management mechanism and brand monitoring mechanism to oversee and manage the comments, opinions and observations made about Greece as a tourist destination. The initiatives key priorities are: a. The promotion and communication of key elements and competitive advantages of the Greek tourism product b. The promotion and dissemination (through social media) of positive messages/opinions that visitors have about their experiences (via video spots, web testimonials, reviews, posts, tweets). The aforementioned will focus on three key subject areas: 1. Business as usual 2. Value For Money/Affordability 3. Safety

NO VISA REQUIRED FOR TOURISM FROM TURKEY FOR FIVE ISLANDS OF THE AEGEAN SEA

The Greek National Tourism Organisation (G.N.T.O), in its framework of initiatives to change the current climate that is impacting the countrys tourism industry in the international travel market, has introduced a new tool designed to help reverse the downward trend. More specifically, the G.N.T.O. in cooperation with the interim government, representatives of the Greek Ministry of Culture and Tourism, representatives of the travel industry, and other officials, set forth to integrate a new web-based platform into the existing current promotional campaign. The Internet-based initiative aims to further promote the positive publicity of Greece as a tourist

A pilot program to facilitate the process of granting visas to nationals of third countries from Turkey, has began and ends on Thursday September 30, 2012, in view of empowering tourists to visit our country.

The initiative is already being supported by a series of government agencies including Greek Radio Television S.A, the Athens News Agency and the Hellenic Foreign Ministry. The agencies will be assisting the effort by tracking and gathering news and other related material as well as working with local, national and international media outlets. To join the effort as a true supporter and to send news and information about Greece as a tourist destination found on the Internet, please contact the team at the GNTO at visitgreece@gnto.gr.

As announced by the Hellenic Police Headquarters, the visa will be on five islands in the East Aegean Sea and specifically the islands of Rhodes, Kos, Samos, Chios and Lesvos, on which the necessary infrastructure and adequate staff exists for carrying out border controls. The program was established with the consent of the European Commission for entrance authorization to specific places with short duration.

[NEWS]

Vodafone Explore Greece

he innovative application for smartphones
Vodafone launched the innovative application for smartphones "Vodafone Explore Greece", in order to promote as well as highlight Greece as a tourist destination. The application is free and will be promoted internationaly through Vodafone's subscriber base so that smartphones users worldwide can use the application.
important is the interactive nature of the application, as users can upload photos to Facebook as well as on the app so they can share their experiences. Especially for subscribers of Vodafone around the world, Vodafone has secured a series of offers from which they can benefit. To implement the "Vodafone Explore Greece" the cooperation of the GNTO and Hotel Chamber of Greece was significant. The application is free and is already available for mobile smartphone running android and within a couple of days it will be available for iPhone users. "Vodafone Explore Greece" the new application for Smartphones, sets the ground for cooperation between public and private sector. With the cooperation of the Greek Tourism Organization and the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, Vodafone has implemented an innovative application for the smartphones "Vodafone Explore Greece", in order to promote and highlight Greece as a tourist destination.

HELLENIC CHAMBER OF HOTELS SUPPORTS VODAFONE'S MAJOR INITIATIVE FOR PROMOTING GREEK TOURISM THROUGH INNOVATIVE DIGITAL APPLICATION

The application "Vodafone Explore Greece" provides a wide range of useful information for those thinking of visiting Greece, or for those who are already at their destination and want to learn about what is around them. It features a host of original features that make it unique compared to other tourism content. It is simple to use, while it includs rich and dynamic audiovisual content, which is constantly renewed. It enables GPS location so that the user can get information on close by entries. Through "Vodafone Explore Greece", users of Vodafone or other network can find information on all tourist destinations, for accommodation, entertainment, dining suggestions, and detailed maps of the place they want to visit. Moreover, the application contains a presentation of beaches, historical data, sites of historical interest but also sites with natural beauty, that one deserves to learn and visit. For foreign users who do not speak Greek, the application has basic phrases translated, as well as pre-recorded phonetic play back for added convenience. Very

During the presentation of the application, Mr. Glafkos Persianis, CEO of Vodafone Greece, said: "The application" Vodafone Explore Greece ", enables us to talk about Greece, to further highlight the unique natural beauty of our culture and our high level of service we provide and to contribute through our technology and our international presence, in efforts to develop our country. " The Secretary General of the Greek Tourism Organization Mr. George Koletsos said: "Today's collaboration with Vodafone and the GNTO is an innovative activity for the GNTO, aiming at targeted marketing and promotion of the Greek tourism product. The strategic objective of the GNTO is to create a dynamic network of partnerships to maximize the effectiveness of the promotion of Greek tourism with zero cost. This partnership represents an innovative approach to public and private sector cooperation to support the national effort , to strengthen tourism and maximize social and economic benefit. "

The Hellenic Chamber of Hotels congratulates Vodafone on the crucial support of Greek tourism in these difficult economic times. Vodafone actively supports the Greek economy and highlights Greece as a tourist destination with the new application "Vodafone Explore Greece"

news.travelling.gr

[NEWS]
tential of Azerbaijan. This year the Eurovision Song Contest in Baku attracted enormous media attention, presenting our countrys modern image around the world. By acting as the convention and cultural partner of the worlds largest travel trade show we aim to strengthen this image even further. Azerbaijan declared 2011 as the Year of Tourism, and the advances being made with the countrys tourism infrastructure are already evident. New hotels have been constructed and special laws have been proposed to encourage the development of tourism. This year is expected to see the completion of one of the largest tourism projects, the construction of the Shahdag ski region.

tional security and we invite them to consider leveraging new techUNWTO AND WTTC CALL nology, including electronic visa processes and delivery, as appropriate to the visa regime of each State, to make travel more accesON THE G20 TO USE sible, convenient and efficient. TOURISMS POTENTIAL FOR JOB CREATION AZERBAIJAN: CONVENTION & CULTURE PARTNER OF ITB BERLIN 2013

Ahead of the G20 world leaders meeting in Los Cabos, Mexico, the UNWTO and WTTC call on the leaders to consider Travel and Tourism as an engine for economic growth and stimulating the global economy.
Increasing travel and tourism demand through visa facilitation can be central to stimulating job creation, a priority given the high current unemployment levels. According to a research study conducted by the two organisations, presented at the T20 Ministers Meeting in Merida last month, G20 economies could boost their international tourist numbers by an additional 122 million, generate an extra US$ 206 billion in tourism exports and create over five million additional jobs by 2015 by improving visa processes and entry formalities. Preliminary findings show that of the 656 million international tourists who visited G20 countries in 2011, an estimated 110 million needed a visa, many of whom deterred from traveling by the cost, waiting time and difficulty of obtaining a visa. Facilitating visas for these tourists, many from some of the worlds fastest growing source markets such as the BRICs, could stimulate demand, spending and ultimately create millions of new jobs in the G20 economies. UNWTO Secretary-General, Taleb Rifai and President & CEO, WTTC, David Scowsill agreed that: Travel & Tourism has the potential to create millions of new jobs and billions of dollars of GDP in G20 countries. We call on the world leaders to take the necessary steps to realise that potential through removing unnecessary visa restrictions. We applaud the actions of the Mexican Government in allowing holders of US visas to enter Mexico and the Obama Administration for committing to improve visa processing from emerging markets. Steps like these towards visa facilitation can result in big economic benefits. By facilitating visas, the G20 countries stand to gain five million jobs at a time of rampant unemployment across the world. These are in addition to the hundreds of millions of direct and indirect jobs already being supported every day by the sector. In an era of globalisation, States have the opportunity to promote travel and tourism as an economic activity, whilst maintaining na-

INTERRAIL PASS; CELEBRATING 40 YEARS OF RAIL TRAVEL

Nazim Samadov, Azerbaijans Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, and Dr. Christian Gke, COO Messe Berlin, signing the ITB Berlin Convention partnership agreement with Azerbaijan for 2013.

Nazim Samadov, Azerbaijans Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, and Dr. Christian Gke, COO Messe Berlin, signing the ITB Berlin Convention partnership agreement with Azerbaijan for 2013. Azerbaijan is acting as partner of the worlds largest tourism convention and is presenting its cultural attractions as a fascinating destination for tourists Prominent panelists will discuss the countrys economic development at the ITB Berlin Convention 2013. As the Convention & Culture Partner of ITB Berlin 2013, Azerbaijan will be providing a link between Asia and Europe with a varied programme. Located between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus, this country is attending the worlds largest travel trade show to introduce its natural attractions and its rich culture, as well as promoting itself as vacation destination with the emphasis on culture, and as an outstanding MICE venue. With some prominent panelists, Azerbaijan is also strongly represented in the discussions about its economic development at the ITB Berlin Convention, the leading think tank for the international travel industry. In addition to the oil industry, which is already a major economic factor, we are also focusing our attention on developing tourism, says Abulfas Garayev, Azerbaijans Minister of Culture and Tourism, with reference to his countrys high level of involvement in ITB Berlin. For us this partnership with ITB Berlin is a very important instrument for effectively promoting the tourism po-

Eurail Group G.I.E., hosted a special media event in Leipzig, Germany, on the 4th and 5th June 2012, to celebrate 40 years of InterRail Pass Travel. The celebration took place at the Bayerische Bahnhof which is a former end station built in 1842 and considered the oldest end station in Europe. This event was made possible by working in close cooperation with the Leipzig tourism board and a wide number of the European member railways. International media from seventeen different European countries joined the Eurail Group, plus, a number of guest speakers. Germany is the second largest InterRail Pass market (after Italy) and Leipzig was elected as the location to celebrate this milestone because of its rich history and famous Bavarian Railway Staion (the Bayerische Bahnhof). The station no longer serves as a terminus station, however, its former glory has been restored and transformed into a popular restaurant and brewery. In fact, the famous Leipzig Gose beer is made on the impressive premises. During the event, the guests were delighted to witness a sneak preview of the recently produced InterRail documentary highlighting the social history of InterRail Pass travel in Europe. It proved a huge success and was well received by the international audience. Ant nio Nobre, the documentarys producer was one of the special guests, hes been InterRailing since 1998.

[NEWS]
The Eurail Group was also proud to invite Mr. Manfred Weis as a guest speaker; the Guinness Book of Records holder for travelling 36,030 kilometres by train in 30 days. He personifies the InterRail spirit of adventure and is currently InterRailing with his family because he wants his son to take to the rails and continue in his footsteps Although Europe has dramatically changed since 1972 when InterRail was first introduced to Europeans under the age of 21, the spirit and feel of InterRail remains the same. Travelling with InterRail gives the pass holder more freedom and the opportunity to meet new friends along the way. Its a rail pass which also offers the owner an education into the way other cultures live and the rich history of Europe. InterRail continues to lay the foundation for many peoples enthusiasm towards rail travel by acting as a symbolic gateway to Europe and encouraging openness towards other cultures says Ana Dias e Seixas, Marketing Director of the Eurail Group. Lets keep the train going and keep the spirit of InterRail alive for the next forty years.

GREEK TOURISM RESISTS, -5%, ARRIVALS IN THE FIRST FIVE MONTHS OF 2012

According to provisional data of the "non-resident arrivals" (international tourist arrivals) in the main airports of our country for the period January to May 2012, announced by SETE, despite the crisis and the drop in arrivals, it is not catastrophic. Thessaloniki, Corfu, Chania present an increase, Santorini shows steady traffic, while in all other a decline is reported. The biggest decline is showing for Athens and Zakynthos. However, the picture is expected to improve if action is taken and if Greece produces a stable government following the June 17 elections.

Peninsula. "The Amazones club accepts with great pleasure the Certificates of Excellence TripAdvisor", said Catherine Psara, chief executive of C. PSARRIS SA-Amazones club. "We try to offer our customers an unforgettable experience and enjoy their holidays in Greece and especially to Crete, and this dis-

ROUBINI: A 1000 TRAVEL VOUCHER TO BE GIVEN TO EVERY GERMAN HOUSEHOLD

CONTINUOUS AWARDS FROM TRIPADVISOR.COM & EXPEDIA.COM FOR AMAZONES HOTELS IN CRETE.

tinction is the proof. The hard work translates into our positive reviews on TripAdvisor. Our clients recognize us the uninterrupted effort on all levels and our reward us " The Excellence certificate of TripAdvisor is given only to exceptional businesses worldwide and is a recognition that they deserve "said Christine Petersen, the president of TripAdvisor for business. "From top restaurants in Boston to the top attractions in Barcelona! We want to applaud these companies for the continuous quality offered to TripAdvisor travelers and reward them, "added Christine Petersen. Amazones Village Suites *** has been awarded with the Expedia Insiders RSelect List Award of 2010 & Expedia Insiders RSelect List Award of 2011.

Serious warning to the EU not to stop funding Greece, from American economist Nouriel Roubini in an article of Bild. Otherwise, he predicts the collapse of the entire eurozone.

Heavy criticism to the German government. "This madness of austerity has to stop. Governments should reduce taxes and increase wages. Europe needs growth. The German government should give every German household a 1000 travel voucher to be spent only on holidays in the crisis countries. This will boost the local economy. Moreover, he suggests, when someone buys a German holiday home in southern countries, to establish a tax bonus. Without the euro, Germany compared with the U.S. or China is an economic and a political dwarf. As an export nation, Germany needs the euro and the European countries as trading partners. For Germany the saying applies: swim together or sink together. " Source: www.bild.de

The AMAZONES HOTELS in Hersonissos, Heraklion Crete was honored for one more year with the top awards from world-renowned American and European portals.
TripAdvisor.com awarded the Amazones Villas Apartments *** in Stalis Heraklion the Excellence Award for 2012. "Our customers consistently with love gave us 4.5 rating for the services of Amazones Villas Apartments and Tripadvisor.com recognize it as a great achievement." Only the best hotels are awarded the certificate of excellence. The same certificate was awarded in 2011 to another hotel unit of the company, the Amazones Village Suites **** at Piskopiano

This exclusive award, is given only to the best hotels and resorts on Expedia globally, as rated by the millions of customers and specialists of Expedia.com. The Expedia is one of the largest and most powerful online tour operators worldwide with millions of customers around the world.

news.travelling.gr

[NEWS]
QANTAS JOYCE IS THE NEW IATA CHAIRMAN
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that Qantas Airways CEO and Managing Director Alan Joyce has assumed his duties as Chairman of the IATA Board of Governors. Joyce succeeds KLM President and CEO Peter Hartman, whose one-year term expired at the conclusion of the Associations 68th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit in Beijing. Joyces appointment is effective immediately and is for one year, ending with the conclusion of IATAs 69th AGM, to be held in Cape Town, South Africa. A 24-year veteran of the airline industry, Joyce has led Qantas since November 2008. He was CEO of Jetstar from 2003 to 2008. Prior to that, he spent over 15 years in leadership positions at Qantas, Ansett, and Aer Lingus. Joyce is the third Qantas CEO to serve

SWISSTEL HOTELS & RESORTS TO OPEN NEW DELUXE HOTEL IN KAZAN, RUSSIA: SWISSTEL RIVIERA TOWER KAZAN

Swisstel Hotels & Resorts and Riviera Tower Limited Liability Company have signed a management contract for a new deluxe hotel in Russia. The Kazan property will help the international hotel group with Swiss roots reinforce its footing in the Eastern European market and is scheduled to open in 2016. The new outstanding hotel will follow the lead of Swisstel Krasnye Holmy in Moscow, which has successfully gained a superbe reputation over the last years, and will offer the Swiss brand a base in another significant Russian city. The Swisstel Riviera Tower Kazan will have 211 guest rooms and suites to offer business travellers and individual tourists a combination of high quality and modern design. A Provel Spa & Sport complex covering 1500 square metres, numerous indoor and outdoor sports facilities, a ballroom, a number of smaller conference rooms and various restaurants will round off the package. The Swisstel Riviera Tower Kazan is in the very heart of Kazan, right on the banks of Kazanka river. The city is divided into two halves with their own characters. While one part around the Kazan Kremlin is more historic with a wide range of culture on offer, the other part, where the new Swisstel hotel will be located, is more the business and banking district. With around 1.2 million inhabitants, Kazan is situated about 800 km east of Moscow and is the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan. A unique combination of Western and Eastern traditions adds the city an inimitable colour. According to the results of an independent Forbes magazine research, it is on top of business climate and attractiveness rating for Russian cities. It is also known as an important destination for major sports events, including the upcoming Summer Universiade 2013, due to a highly developed infrastructure. Our hotel group has had a presence in Moscow for years and we have established an excellent reputation here, explains Meinhard Huck, President of Swisstel Hotels & Resorts. The new hotel in Kazan will join the two deluxe hotels we plan to open in Sochi in 2013 and our existing hotel in Moscow, and represent a perfect addition to what we feel is a key Eastern European market. Ivan Voitko, General Manager of Riviera Tower LLC added: The infrastructure of Kazan is improving every day and the new complex with the state-of-the art five star hotel under Swisstel brand will become another significant element in the city strategy of advancement and development, and will contribute to a greater disclosure of touristic potential of the region.

ue to our members. Our ambitious agenda over the next year includes developing the foundation standards for a new distribution capability, pushing forward progress on Checkpoint of the Future, and working through the International Civil Aviation Organization to achieve a global approach on positive economic measures to help manage aviations 2% contribution to man made carbon emissions. All of this will be done in an economic environment that is likely to become even more challenging, said Tyler. IATA also announced that the Board of Governors appointed Richard Anderson, CEO of Delta Air Lines, to serve as Chairman from June 2013, following Joyces term.

LUFTHANSA MOVES TO NEW OFFICES IN ATHENS

as Chairman of IATAs Board of Governors, following most recently James Strong (1999-2000). IATA plays a critical role in the industry and I am honored to take on the role of leading its Board of Governors. The top priorities, as always, will be safety, security, and sustainability. On top of that, I want to see IATA continue to deliver value to its members by being a strong advocate for the industry. Aviation delivers enormous economic benefitssupporting some 57 million jobs and $2.2 trillion in economic activity. We need to ensure that governments understand what is at stake when they are making key decisions on taxes, regulation, and capacity expansion, said Joyce. Our Association owes a debt of gratitude to Peter Hartman, for his resolute leadership of IATA during a challenging year. The European sovereign debt crisis put new pressures on the air transport industry. Along with this, global political tension rose as a result of Europes unilateral and extra-territorial inclusion of aviation in its Emissions Trading Scheme, said Tony Tyler, IATAs Director General and CEO. I would also like to thank Peter for his personal support and guidance during my first year in office. I am confident that Alan is the right person to lead IATAs Board of Governors as the Association strives to deliver even greater valLufthansa's offices in Athens are now at 248 Avenue, 152 31 Halandri. The move applies both to Lufthansa, the SWISS, and the companies Air Canada, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines. The telephone numbers and other communication details remain the same.

CYPRUS AIRWAYS CANCELS PLANNED ATHENS LONDON HEATHROW SERVICE DUE OCT 2012
Cyprus Airways has cancelled its plan to start Athens London Heathrow, due to start from October 1, 2012. The airline previously planned to move 1 of 2 daily Larnaca London Heathrow operation to Athens, but this is no longer the case.

[NEWS]
SOUTH AFRICAN AIRWAYS TO HOST 69TH IATA AGM AIR TRANSPORT LEADERS TO CONVERGE IN CAPE TOWN IN JUNE 2013
ments, regulators and airlines to improve safety, sustainability and competitiveness. Holding the 2013 AGM and WATS in Cape Town will provide a prominent platform to address these issues and challenges, said Tyler. This years AGM and WATS in Beijing attracted some 750 airline industry leaders representing IATAs 242 member airlines. It drew a further 350 journalists representing major media outlets from around the world. The IATA AGM and WATS is a unique marketing and publicity opportunity for our industry, for Cape Town and for South Africa. Significantly, it takes place at the same time as our country is rolling out a new national infrastructure development programme. This will position South Africa to play a vital role driving trade, business and tourism on the continent together with current and developing markets in Brazil, Russia, India & China. In turn this promises to create jobs and tackle poverty and inequality in South Africa, added Ms Mzimela. This will be third time that the IATA AGM is held in Africa. Previous IATA AGMs held in Cairo, Egypt (1946) and in Nairobi, Kenya (1991).

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) announced that South African Airways will host the 69th IATA Annual General Meeting (AGM) and World Air Transport Summit (WATS). The event will draw the top leadership of the air transport industry to Cape Towns International Convention Centre from 2-4 June 2013. South Africa will be a great location for the 2013 AGM and WATS. Air connectivity is key to South Africas economic success, contributing 2.1% to the countrys GDP. Along with supporting South Africas strong tourism sector, air connectivity plays a critical role in maximizing growth opportunities arising from South Africas BRICS membership and the burgeoning African economy, said Tony Tyler, Director General and CEO of IATA. South African Airways accepted IATA members proposal to host its 2013 AGM. The announcement was made at the close of this years meeting and WATS in Beijing, China. We look forward to hosting the global air transport community in South Africa. Holding the AGM and WATS on African soil will focus the global industrys attention on the tremendous opportunities as trade and tourism links are being strengthened within the continent and to new and traditional markets beyond, said Siza Mzimela, South African Airways CEO. The aviation and aerospace sectors contribute about ZAR51 billion (approx USD 6,07 billion) which is equal to 2.1% South Africas GDP. This activity supports over 227,000 South African jobs. The bulk of this contribution is driven by commercial airline transport. Along with shining a spotlight on Africas opportunities, the AGM and WATS will provide a forum for discussing its challenges. Growth in Africa is impeded by regulatory burdens and a poor safety record compounded by the high fuel prices in many parts of the continent. IATA is working across the continent with govern-

Mike has played a key role in defending the interests of European regional airlines and, as a result, the regions of Europe that we bring together. His hard work and investment over the last 25 years have greatly contributed to making ERA what it is today: a highly regarded association that works constantly to promote the economic, social and environmental aspects of air transport. I would like to express to him the sincere gratitude of all the members of the Association. Next year, when Simon takes over, it will be up to him to help the profession meet the challenges it faces. His qualities and his knowledge of the issues will, I am sure, enable him to champion the cause of the Association. On behalf of all the members, I wish him every success, said Marc Lamidey, President of ERA. Commenting on his appointment, Simon McNamara acknowledged the contribution that Mike Ambrose has made to the Association and the exciting challenges ahead for ERA. Mike has devoted an incredible amount of energy and enthusiasm to ERA that has made it the force it is today, he commented. I am very excited and honoured to have been given the opportunity to now lead the Association. Our industry faces huge challenges, but I am confident that ERA, as a powerful, relevant and influential Association can ensure our sector remains well served in the future and I look forward to driving that ambition forward.

2013 CHANGE IN LEADERSHIP AT ERA

After more than 25 years as the head of the European Regions Airline Association (ERA), Director General, Mike Ambrose is to retire at the end of 2012. The recommendation of a committee* appointed by the ERA Board to find a successor was accepted by the ERA Board at its meeting in Venice. The Board agreed that Simon McNamara, currently Ambroses deputy, would take up the post from the beginning of 2013. Ambrose took up his current post in 1987 after spending more than 20 years at British Airways. His first task was to transfer ERAs office in Geneva to the UK and then, progressively, to build ERA into the energetic and influential body that it is today. Looking back on his time in his current post Ambrose immediately acknowledged the tremendous good fortune that he and ERAs members have had in establishing and maintaining such a strong and highly motivated team within the ERA Directorate. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to work alongside such talented people within our membership and within the Directorates small team. Whilst 1992, which saw the final liberalisation of air transport in Europe, can be viewed as a high point for the regional sector of the industry, subsequent new regulations have underlined the need for constant commitment to protect and promote ERAs members interests he commented. If challenges are to be seen as opportunities, we are now inundated by new opportunities. I am delighted that the Board has decided to appoint Simon McNamara to take on the role to tackle the issues that are so critical for our sectors future well being he concluded.

LUFTHANSA IMPROVES ITS IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT SERVICE

Live TV with Sports 24 enters trial period new Rave entertainment system
Good news for sports fans: Lufthansas in-flight entertainment service now includes a first integrated live TV channel: Sports 24. The signal is transmitted directly on board by satellite via Lufthansas FlyNet broadband Internet service and from there to

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ing day. Flights on Wednesday and Friday will depart at 22:30 in London and arrive in Guangzhou at 17:30 the next day. All times local. This new route is expected to further promote economic and cultural exchanges between UK and China, and provide sports fans with an air bridge to attend the Games of the XXX Olympiad in London this July. The United Kingdom is the largest tourist market from Europe to Australia and New Zealand. More than one million passengers originate from Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland, Brisbane and Adelaide, transit in Asia and continue onward to London. In 2011, China Southern Airlines Canton Route to Australia carried nearly 600,000 passengers, the largest share between China and Australia. Passengers who traveled to Australia and New Zealand via Guangzhou increased from 148,000 in 2010 to 343,000 in 2011, up 132% on the previous year. With its extensive Chinese domestic route network, Asia routes and new Australia and New Zealand routes, China Southern Airlines can provides visitors from UK or Europe with more convenient travel choices to visit China, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. tinations worldwide including 20 direct flights to destinations in Africa, as well as connections to key locations across Europe including Madrid, Birmingham, Bristol, Newcastle, Manchester and Porto.

the entertainment system. Unlike the Internet, this service, which is already available on three recently delivered Airbus A330s, is free of charge for passengers. Sports 24 has special airline rights for all major sports events such as the UEFA European Football Championship (opening match, all German matches, finals) and the Olympic Games in London. The English-language channel will also broadcast Bundesliga (as of the 2012/13 season) and Premier League matches, all Formula-1 races, the NFL Superbowl, tennis with Wimbledon and the French Open, and golf with the Ryder Cup and US Open. In addition, Lufthansa is investing in cutting-edge hardware for in-flight entertainment and will equip its long-haul fleet with the Rave system by the California-based producer The IMS Company. As of next spring, passengers on board B 747-400s, A340-600s, A340-300s and A330-300s will successively be able to use the system with the familiar ease of a tablet. They can navigate simply by stroking or wiping a touch screen (Economy Class) or by using a remote control with so-called one-finger navigation in First and Business Class. Image resolution is higher than that of the existing solutions and the system reacts much faster to user input. As all the programme content is stored in each seat display unit, it can even be used without connection to the server.

KLM LAUNCHES TRIP PLANNER PLAN A TRIP WITH FRIENDS VIA FACEBOOK

CHINA SOUTHERN LAUNCHES LONDON GUANGZHOU FLIGHT ROUTING

China Southern Airlines a member of SkyTeam and the largest airline in The Peoples Republic of China announced the launch of direct commercial air service from Southern China to Londons Heathrow Airport. Departing from its worldwide hub at Baiyun International Airport, Guangzhou, the airlines Airbus A330 arrived on June 6,2012 at Heathrow International Airport around 15:25 local time. This marks the first direct domestic route from Guangzhou to London and the third direct international route for China Southern Airlines from Guangzhou to Europe. China Southern will be offering this Sino/UK service three-times weekly; every Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, departing Guangzhou at 9:00 a.m., arriving in London at 15:25. Flights to China will depart Heathrow International Airport at 18:25 every Sunday and will arrive in at Guangzhou at 13:25 the follow-

GERMANWINGS COLLABORATES WITH BRUSSELS

Germanwings and Brussels Airlines have announced closer collaboration having signed an interlining agreement, effective immediately. The agreement enables Brussels Airlines to offer passengers new Germanwings connections between Stuttgart and Brussels, allowing access to their complete range of flights via Brussels airport. Passengers flying to Brussels via Stuttgart will be able to take advantage of a completely new range of flights made possible by the agreement. Brussels Airlines, which owns a share in Germanwings parent company Lufthansa, flies to numerous des-

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has launched a platform for swiftly and simply organising a trip with Facebook friends. This is the latest step in KLMs drive towards the integration of social media into its core activities. Earlier this year, KLM introduced Meet & Seat, becoming the first airline to integrate social networks and flight data. KLM has now supplemented this social seating service with a Trip Planner platform facilitating social booking. Planning a trip with friends can be quite a challenge, but KLM Trip Planner makes this fun and easy. The delegated trip organiser selects a groups of travellers among their Facebook friends. After choosing a destination, various travel dates and available ticket prices, the organiser asks the selected friends to indicate which of the options has their preference. The booking can subsequently be made very simply in a secure section of klm.com, without having to email, text or phone an agent. The KLM Trip Planner can also help customers find a suitable destination. Based on the groups members and their interests, KLM offers three suggestions that vary depending on the main purpose of the trip, whether it be shopping, attending a football match or some other activity. Participants Get A Chance To Win Great Prizes Including 10 Business Class And 50 Economy Class Return Tickets

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QATAR AIRWAYS REFLECTIONS PHOTO CONTEST
Qatar Airways is back with another engaging social media photo contest, Reflections, through which the airline is giving away attractive prizes Business and Economy Class air tickets and a total of 1.6 million Privilege Club Qmiles.
Coming up with exciting promotions to give back great benefits to our passengers is our way of celebrating what we have achieved over the last 15 years to take Qatar Airways to where it is today. For latest updates on Qatar Airways promotions, activities and contests, follow the airline on Facebook (facebook.com/qatarairways) and also on Twitter (twitter.com/qatarairways). Qatar Airways is one of the worlds fastest growing airlines, operating a modern fleet of 109 aircraft to 115 diverse business and leisure destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific, North America and South America from its Doha hub. Qatar Airways recently launched daily flights to the Croatian capital Zagreb, the Iraqi city of Erbil, and is gearing up to launch a range of new destinations, including Baghdad from June 7; Perth, the airline's second Australian route from July 3; Kilimanjaro in Tanzania from July 25; Mombasa in Kenya from August 15; Yangon in Myanmar on October 3 and to the Serbian capital Belgrade later in the year.

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Qatar Airways Reflections Photo Contest

Entries may include up to eight photos under the following categories Vibrant Cultures, Magnificent Cities, Breathtaking Nature and Exciting Journeys. Professional to amateur photography enthusiasts may upload photos, share them across their social network and invite support from their friends, family and followers in the form of votes. They can also view, vote on, and share photos submitted by other contestants to accumulate points. Each point they earn converts into a lucky draw entry. Prizes include 10 Business and 50 Economy Class tickets. Qatar Airways Privilege Club programme is offering a mammoth 1.6 million Qmiles to be shared among the winners. Contestants are invited to submit their entries online at qatarairways.com/reflections. Once the contest comes to a close, the best voted images will be rated by Qatar Airways panel of expert judges. The winning photographs will be announced on or before July 25. As a bonus, every entrant gets an opportunity to enter a lucky draw for a chance to win one of 100 exciting prizes. Qatar Airways Chief Executive Officer Akbar Al Baker said that this contest was in line with the airlines continued efforts to connect with its customers. As an aviation industry leader it is imperative that we build a strong relationship with our customers who use various social media platforms to find out about latest promotions at Qatar Airways, he said.

ETIHAD AIRWAYS ANNOUNCES LOYALTY SCHEME AGREEMENT WITH ROYAL AIR MAROC

said: We are delighted to offer our loyal guests more ways in which to earn and burn miles. Royal Air Maroc is a quality airline with an attractive network that complements our own routes seamlessly. Now our Etihad Guest members flying with Royal Air Maroc will earn Etihad Guest Miles which they can exchange for free flights or to make purchases from the vast array of products available in the Etihad Guest online Reward Shop. We very much look forward to working closely with Royal Air Maroc over the coming weeks and months to find more innovative ways in which we can reward our most loyal customers. Royal Air Maroc Deputy Executive Officer, Abderrafia Zouiten, said: This agreement between Royal Air Maroc and Etihad Airways strengthens the joint willing of our carriers to extend the cooperation field. It expands the opportunities afforded to our customers, notably towards the Middle East and Asia. Royal Air Maroc is proud to include Etihad Airways, a leading company in providing exceptional standards of customer service, as a strategic and reliable partner. Etihad Guest is an award-winning loyalty program, boasting over 1.5 million members to date. The Etihad Guest program offers members opportunities to accumulate Etihad Guest Miles which can be used to purchase more than 3,800 products in the Etihad Airways Reward Shop, or converted to make cash payments in more than thirty million retail outlets worldwide with PointsPay an unmatched loyalty proposition.

JAL TO LOWER FUEL SURCHARGES ON INTERNATIONAL TICKETS

Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, announced a reciprocal frequent flyer agreement with codeshare partner Royal Air Maroc. This partnership will allow Etihad Guest members to earn and redeem Etihad Guest Miles when flying on Royal Air Maroc to an additional 74 destinations in Africa, the Middle East, Europe and North America. Members of the Royal Air Maroc Safar Frequent Flyer program will also earn and redeem Safar Flyer Miles on Etihad Airways flights. Etihad Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Peter Baumgartner,

JAL to Lower Fuel Surcharges on International TicketsJapan Airlines has requested approval from the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) to apply a lower level of fuel surcharges on all its international passenger tickets issued between 1 August and 30 September 2012. JAL sets fuel surcharge levels bimonthly based on the 2-month average price of Singapore kerosene-type jet fuel. The price of Singapore kerosene-type jet fuel during the two month period of April and May 2012 averaged US$127.75 per barrel. With reference to the benchmark list for fiscal year 2012, this corresponds to Zone G of fuel surcharges which from August 2012, will range from 2,200 yen on a Japan Korea ticket to 23,500 yen on a Japan USA ticket per person per sector flown, on tickets purchased in Japan. This level of surcharge will be applied to all international passenger tickets issued between 1 August and 30 September 2012.

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