I just love going on cruises. They are probably the best vacations to go on. You don’t have to worry about anything. You just have to be on time at the dinner table if you want to have dinner when everyone else is having dinner, not that you can’t find something to eat. You probably have several options at the same time. This just goes to tell you that you have nothing to worry about, everything is taken care of for you…you just have to decide what you want to do. Play a game, eat pizza, watch a movie, have a drink, exercise, relax, swim, dance, the list goes on and on. That’s when you are on board cruising.What happens when you are at port?
Since the end of the 2007 Summer season, many travel and tourism events / exhibitions have taken place. The one that leads the pack is ITB – Berlin which is going to take place on March 5-9, 2008 at Berlin, Germany.
There is saying that “a picture is a million words”, when even if we were to try to take a picture of ITB-Berlin it could not fit in one, two or a thousand pictures. This exhibition is BIG and international.
When you visit Hollywood its a must you get the map that has the celebrities homes or the tour that gives you all that. Or when you visit Austria you have to visit the birthplace of Mozart and where he worked. Just imagine going to London and not going to the Globe Theatre or otherwise called Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. This is just a few of the numerous places one must visit: because it is a must or because there is nothing else to see or because you feel that it is a tribute to the great people who lived there.
What we all try to figure out through these visits is – what was/is the environment that gave birth to such geniuses.
In the introductory stage of any industry, the companies involved attract the very best the workforce has to offer and in most cases, pay them prim salaries – for two reasons. First to compete with other industries that want these people and secondly to retain them. These salaries become industry norms and the industry has to maintain the whole system they created.
There is not a moment that goes by and we do not use a computer, as we all know it, or some gadget which is powered by a computer.
I get up in the morning using a digital clock. I open my frig and it starts beeping if I don’t close it. I get info my car – even before I put the card (key) in its place it starts computing not to mention when I turn the car on – it goes computer happy!!!
The signs on the road tell me how long it will take me to reach the major cross road. The car navigator talks you throughout the entire destination. Depending on my moods, I talk back to it – naturally without it responding to what I tell it. It continues giving the instructions as it was programed – totally ignoring what I say.
Many many many moons ago (about 300 moons) when I was doing my MBA things were “simple” but “hard”.Let me explain myself. The 300 is probably a modest estimation but never the less counting – what needs to be explained is the “simple” but “hard”.
In those days in Greece an MBA was a simple issue, for two reasons.
As of this past summer Nip/Tuck (the TV show) has come to Greece. Its scheduled late, I’m sure because of the content, as if we don’t see a lot on TV these days. I am sure pages and pages worth of comments have been written about the show, so I will not act as if I am the specialist and give you my analysis. I’ll just say that, if its still running, it seems that there is a crowed that likes it (including me).
The 23rd Philoxenia Intl Tourism Exhibition is in the past and has been included in history. The who-is-who of the Greek travel and Tourism industry was there along with the “may wana be’s”. They all did the classical PR, they all partied, few did business, a lot of them think they did, but what is for sure is that those who are going to go to THE event of the year, did some practicing on their selling and presentation skills.
What event am I talking about…but of course – World Travel Market. As the title implies, the world of travel and tourism is going to be at the ExCeL in London on November 12 – 15, 2007. The timing is just perfect because its either good for those markets that have just ended their high season or its good for the markets that the high season is about to start.
The time of the year has come for the major annual exhibition of Greece, the 23rd Philoxenia International Exhibition. It is held in Thessaloniki, northern Greece, also known as the sub-capital of Greece – the second largest city. It is 4 1/2 – 5 hr drive or a 35min flight from Athens.
After a good summer season for Greece and following the closing of the seasonal hotels, the event is going to be something between a vacation for the professionals and a place to see friends from the travel and tourism industry. Of course we all will do business, but I think that this time its going to be more care free type of doing business rather than what happened other years were every one was pretending to be cool. Now everyone is cool!
A couple of weeks ago I had gone to the Island of Tinos for a presentation on issues regarding the web promotion of travel and tourism web sites.
The way to go to Tinos is either from Rafina or from Piraeus port. We went from the port of Rafina with the new high speed boats. Its a quick ride with the boat.
Tinos is one of the places most Greeks visit, mostly for the Virgin Mary Church which is called in Greek “Panagia tis Tinou” and celebrates with thousands of people on August 15. The Island of Tinos has numerous things to see and do. It has wonderful beaches. Lots of beautiful site seeing to do. Museums. Trekking, hiking, cross country running. Local traditional things to see. The island also hosts a school of the Athens University, which deals with marble and sculpture. You won’t feel how time passed on Tinos. I almost forgot – the food is something else!