November 2003

Let’s show the World “Greek Philoxenia”
Philoxenia, of course, means hospitality - a trait that Greeks have been famous for long since the early 19th century when European travellers made their first forays into the Greek mainland and islands. The notion of Philoxenia is rooted in the Greek psyche as it is enshrined in Greek myths such as the one of Iobates, who was unable to kill the Corinthian hero Bellerophon because he had extended his hospitality to him. In mythology, hospitality saved Bellerophon; today it is one of the assets of Greek tourism, along with the country’s more tangible features such as its pristine beaches, breathtaking landscape, and brilliant sun. This quality certainly stood out this year at the aptly named Philoxenia trade show in Thessaloniki and the World Travel Mart in London, where Greek travel professionals had a significant presence and made quite an impression on their foreign colleagues and competitors. It seems almost certain that the motto for next year will most certainly be “Greece is the word” - something that will be sealed by a dynamic presence at upcoming travel trade fairs in Spain, Italy, Germany, and Russia.
Greek joie de vivre and excitement over the “homecoming” Olympics to be held in Athens in August 2004 are certainly responsible for the buzz. And while buzz can certainly spur momentum and motivation, it’s important to remember that there is still a lot of work to be done before Greece even earns any laurels, never mind rests on them.
Since virtually the minute that the IOC announced that Athens had been awarded the honour of hosting the 2004 Olympic Games, there have been doubts expressed about its ability to meet the various construction and other deadlines. Less than a year before the Games, these doubts have subsided somewhat. But hosting the Olympics is about far more than building sports venues and making sure athletes are comfortable at the Olympic Village or about infrastructure works like new airports and luxury hotels. If the hosting the Games is to have a long-term positive impact on the country and, most importantly, its tourism industry, then Philoxenia is what will make the difference between a well-organized sports event and a memorable experience. People will notice if the buses don’t run on time, and they won’t remember if the buses ran perfectly to schedule. But what they will remember is the bus driver who smiled in greeting as they boarded.
On January 1, 2004, the final countdown to the Olympic Games will begin. There’s little time left but a lot that remains to be done. Certainly mistakes have been made along the way, but there is no time left for blame or hand wringing. This is a time to join hands and work together to show the world what Greek Philoxenia is all about. Mercifully, the holidays are an opportunity for us to catch our breaths and recharge our batteries before tackling the challenges of the new year.

From all of us at Travelling, our most heartfelt wishes for
a Merry Christmas and may 2004 bring health, happiness,
peace, and prosperity to all.

Hellenic Travelling

Government announces timetable for Iraklio airport tender
An international tender for a new airport on Crete will be published early next year, Transport and Communications Minister Christos Verelis said.
Speaking at a news conference in Iraklio, he said that tendering process would be completed by the end of 2004 so that construction may begin in 2005.
Iraklio's new international airport will be located at Kastelli Irakliou, and is expected to be ready in four years. When completed, it will replace the existing airport.

Two Grecotel properties earn summit distinction
The international "Summit Hotels & Resorts" organization has extended its distinction to two city hotels from the Grecotel chain, a member of the Daskalantonakis Group of companies.
The distinguishing label has been conferred on the Makedonia Palace in Thessaloniki and the Athens Acropol in the Greek capital. Both properties are part of the Grecotel City Hotels network.
The Summit Hotels & Resorts distinction is extended to properties distinguished for their premium accommodations and the high quality of their service. To date, 145 hotels in 100 cities around the world have been awarded the distinction.
"Our research shows that the modern traveller seeks to savour new experiences, avoiding uniformity," says Richard Lewis, head of the Summit Hotels & Resorts organization. "All our hotels are special and a stay at one of them is a unique experience."
The Makedonia Palace, one of Greece's best-known hotels, is a favourite among movie stars, business, and diplomats visiting Thessaloniki. The property has undergone extensive renovation of its rooms and all its amenities.

Minister briefs innkeepers on ΕΟΤ restructuring
Development Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos met with representatives of the association of entrepreneurs who rent rooms for tourist accommodation, SEELE, in early October to discuss issues that concern the travel and tourism sector.
Tsohatzopoulos briefed the SEELE delegation in detail on draft legislation prepared by the Development Ministry, whose portfolio includes tourism, on the restructuring of the Greek National Tourism Organization (ΕΟΤ) into a societe anonyme as well as on its new role in the tourism sector. The minister also briefed the delegation on which ΕΟΤ responsibilities would thus be shifted to the ministry's general secretariat.
SEELE said it would send the minister a position paper outlining the views of SEELE members on what needs to be done to bolster tourism so that the group's positions could be included in the agenda of issues to be discussed by the upcoming meeting of the interministerial committee on tourism.

Grecotel hosts German president
Dr Η.C. Johanes Rau, president of the Federal Republic of Germany, chose Grecotel's Creta Palace at Rethymno on the island of Crete to spend his vacations.
According to a press release distributed to the media afterwards, the German president and his family, along with the members of the president's security team, spent a ten-day holiday from October 5 to October 15 at the plush seaside resort on the northern coast of Crete. The German president occupied the presidential suite.
Departing, he expressed his pleasure and enthusiasm at the hotel's facilities, the discreet luxury of the surroundings, and the high quality of service.
The Grecotel Creta Palace is one of several resorts owned and operated on Crete by Grecotel, a leading Greek hotel chain and member of the Daskalantonakis Group of companies.

Hoteliers highlight hospitality sector's problems
Vassilis Minaidis, president of the Panhellenic Federation of Hoteliers, expressed concern over the decline in tourism, saying the sector is facing its worse crisis of the last thirty years.
"For the first time since World War ΙΙ, we are seeing a decline in the arrivals of foreign tourists in Greece for the third straight year," he said in a recent speech. Minaidis added that arrivals statistics from the country's largest airports were disappointing, while the month of September had not lived up to the optimistic projections made earlier in the year based on the late start to the tourist season as a result of uncertainty over the Iraq war.
"As an example, arrivals at the Iraklio airport were down 7.9 percent compared to last September, arrivals at Thessaloniki airport were down by 8.12 percent, at Corfu down 6.61 percent, at Kos down 11.65 percent, and at Rhodes down 15.75 percent," he said. "In terms of room nights, the drop has exceeded 10 percent."
Minaidis said the apparent diminished interest in Greek destinations had affected prices since hotels had offered large discounts in a bid to attract last-minute travellers, and that these discounts had had an affect on hotels' profitability.
"The optimistic picture that some government agencies tried to paint based on the positive climate created by the peak demand in August soon proved to be false and distorting," he added.
Minaidis said the Greek tourism industry had been affected by global trends, including a decline in travel, but these problems had been compounded by a lack of policy for dealing with such crises.
"The fact that one year before the 2004 Olympic Games that room nights even in Attica are down by 12.5 percent in the first eight months of the year highlights the loss of competitiveness of Greek tourism in the global market," he added.
Minaidis outlined several corrective measures and policies that needed to be instituted to reverse the situation, including a drastic reduction in direct and indirect taxes on tourism products to restore the sector's competitiveness.
He also called for financial assistance to enable all hotel properties to upgrade their facilities and measures to simplify bureaucratic procedures required by hotels.

ΕΟΤ hosts Philoxenia events
The Greek National Tourism Organization (ΕΟΤ) organized a series of events to coincide with the annual Philoxenia travel and tourism exhibition in Thessaloniki, held this year from October 30 to November 2.
The events included presentations of the Tourist Development Plans for eleven regions of Greece based on studies to be published by ΕΟΤ in a special volume. Α separate presentation of pilot tourist development projects devised by ΕΟΤ to promote ecotourism or agrotourism was also held during the trade expo. These projects include the conversion of the Moni Panayias Poretsou in the Peloponnese province of Achaia to a guesthouse; the conversion of the Petralia Manor into a guesthouse and exhibition area; the "Olive Routes" program; and a pilot project at Lake Kerkini.
During the expo, ΕΟΤ also organized a conference of experts from the Black Sea region, a conference of Balkan tour operators held jointly with the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (ΗΑΤΤΑ), a meeting with tour operators and journalists attending Philoxenia, award presentations and announcements, and a presentation of ΕΟΤ's 2004 advertising campaign.

ΕΟΤ launches campaign in Russia
The Greek National Tourism Organization (ΕΟΤ) introduced a special travel promotion campaign in October in cooperation with two top circulation Russian dailies, Izvestia and Moskofskaya Pravda.
The campaign, under the theme "Greece Has It All," comprised a full-colour insert whose publication was timed to coincide with the fall travel expo held in Moscow. It was supplemented in Izvestia, which has a national circulation of 234,500, focused on Athens as an Olympic city and the lead article projected that the city would receive over seven million tourists. Other articles included an article by the Greek ambassador to Russia on the diplomatic relations between the two countries and an interview with ΕΟΤ head Yiannis Patellis.
The promotional campaign in the two newspapers will continue through January and include eight special inserts highlighting Greece as a travel destination. Similar campaigns are planned for a weekly entertainment guide and a sports daily.

ΕΟΤ secures range of domain names
The Greek National Tourism Organization (ΕΟΤ) said it had registered several domain names and linked them to its own site so that visitors searching for one of these domains would be transferred to the ΕΟΤ website.
The domain names are:
greektourism.gr, greecetourism.gr,
visitgreece.gr, greecebeyondwords.com,
eot.gr, and gnto.gr.
ΕΟΤ branches abroad have also registered
the following domains, which also link visitors
directly to the ΕΟΤ site:
ente-tourismoellenico.com (Italy),
grieksverkeersbureau.nl (Netherlands),
travelgate.net/greecegate (Europe),
gnto.co.uk (Britain), greektourism.com (U.S.),
and int-acc.or.jp/greece (Japan).

ΕΤΑ releases profit projections
Hellenic Tourism Properties (ΕΤΑ), the real estate arm of the Greek National Tourism Organization (ΕΟΤ) projected it would end the fiscal year with pre-tax profits of 37 million euros.
ΕΤΑ, which is listed on the Athens Stock Exchange, said in a statement that the group's financial results were expected to be in the range of 127 million euros.

HFD announces improved financial results
Hellas Flying Dolphins has issued its preliminary financial results, which over the eight-month period spanning January to August 2003.
The company said its books showed operating profits, before fiscal adjustments and depreciation, for 2003 would reach 25.4 million euros compared to 16.9 million euros for the same period of 2002, with pre-tax profits of 16.2 million euros for the period January-August 2003 compared to 0.6 million euros for the first eight months of 2002.

German chancellor attends 'Welcome Athens' promotion
An estimated 1,300 guests, included German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, attended a special promotional evening organized in Dusseldorf by the international Paralympics Committee in cooperation with the Greek National Tourism Organization (ΕΟΤ).
Under the theme "Welcome Athens," the event was held in the German city's convention centre, which was decorated like an ancient Greek temple. Greek-born singer Vicki Leandros provided entertainment, while Greek companies participating in the special gala included the winemaker Achaia-Claus.

International yacht race in the Ionian
The first leg of the international yacht race Ecker Yachting finished on October 23 at the northwestern Greek port of Preveza.
The race had set off several days earlier from Croatia. The 10th anniversary race drew 84 teams, most from Austria. Officials and media followed the yacht race aboard the 109-meter clipper "Chersona."
The second leg of the race set off from Preveza on October 25; the race circuit includes a tour around the coast of the Peloponnese and a route through the Cyclades islands.

Sportius hosts tour of cruise liner
Representatives of Greece's travel and tourism sector were treated to a tour of the luxury cruise liner MS Oosterdam recently, organized by Sportius Hospitality, Greece's first sports tourism promoter.
The MS Oosterdam is one of two cruise ships to be managed by Sportius during the Olympic Games next summer. The cruise ships are two of Holland America Line's most luxurious vessels.
Sportius Hospitality was formed through the merger of two larger tour operators from Greece and Cyprus, Amphitrion and MIBS.
Sportius Hospitality aims to establish itself as the leader in this growing sector of specialized tourism. The company provides services for individual athletes, teams, and sports federations or clubs. It has a network of 20 cooperating offices in 50 countries, plus a wholly owned fleet of over 30 tour buses.
Sportius Hospitality has also been designated the official and exclusive hospitality representative and ticket agent for the national Olympic Committees of Russia, Ukraine, and Cyprus.

Europe, China sign agreement on travel
The European Union and China were expected to sign an agreement on Approved Destination Status at a high-level meeting of officials from both parties at the end of October, the Development Ministry said in a statement. The agreement would open the way for Chinese travellers to visit European countries, including Greece.
Speaking to reporters after his return from Beijing to attend a meeting of the World Tourism Organization, Deputy Development Minister Dimitris Georgakopoulos said that the draft agreement had resolved two basic issues in talks between Greece and China.
The first issue concerned a Chinese demand that reception countries open a specified number of tourist offices to conduct transactions with the corresponding number of tourist offices in China. The new draft, which complies with EU law that does not allow preferential treatment for some companies, allows all licensed tourist agencies to conduct business with licensed Chinese bureaus.
Georgakopoulos said that as soon as the EU-China agreement was signed officially, Greece would open a tourism bureau in Beijing and later in Shanghai. It would also launch a promotional campaign for the 2004 Olympics. Α brochure entitled "General Information About Greece" has already been translated into Chinese, while dubbing of a promotional documentary is almost complete.
China's Deputy Minister of National Development, Li Zibin, is expected to visit Athens in December at the head of a diplomatic delegation.
To date, China has adopted Approved Destination Status for 28 countries, while two more - Jordan and Mongolia - were added to the list during the recent WTO meeting.

Helexpo president emphasizes importance of tourism
Tourism is increasingly important to the Greek economy and to Greek society and a cornerstone of regional development, according to Vassilis Kourtessis, head of Helexpo.
Speaking at the opening of the 19th annual Philoxenia trade show at the Helexpo fairgrounds in Thessaloniki, he emphasized the urgent need to develop the necessary infrastructure to support the development of specialized forms of tourism aimed at expanding the season.
"Tourism is Greece's most important export," he said, adding that Greece also needed to find ways to open new markets and attract visitors from countries that do not have a strong presence in current arrival patterns.
Development Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos said the government's goal was to foster an increase of roughly four percent in tourist arrivals by 2010. He said measures announced as part of a tourism development plan were expected to draw 20 million tourists to Greece by 2008.
Philoxenia, Greece's premier trade and travel show, featured 667 booths this year - two more than last year's show, according to Helexpo managing director Chrysostomos Yeroukis. Exhibitors from 31 countries, including Greece, occupied 10,000 square meters spanning seven pavilions, in which companies were grouped according to sub sectors of the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry.
Russia was the guest of honour at this year's Philoxenia, which included an exhibition of paintings by Russian artists.
Attendance figures were also up this year, with 10 percent more visitors at the travel fair for a total of 15,020 - up from 13,671 last year. The number of trade visitors remained steady at 2,500.
Prospects for developing ecotourism programs were highlighted at a conference on "Agrotourism and Regional Development" held at the Vellidis Conference Center as part of the trade show's activities. Speakers from Austria and Italy presented their experiences with agrotourism programs during the conference.
Prizes for best booths were presented to Goldair Malev, Hungarian Airlines, Kempinski Hotel Nikopolis Thessaloniki, and Olympic Airways. The Municipality of Mouresio, Etam, Sabre Hellas, and the Union of Spa Municipalities were presented with distinctions.

Restaurateurs seek to set record straight on EFET inspections
The Panhellenic Federation of Restaurant and Related Enterprises (POESE) has issued a statement protesting what it claims are attempts to blacken the reputation of restaurants, and by extension Greek tourism, by distorting reports of health and hygiene inspections conducted by EFET.
In its statement, POESE said the Attiki branch of EFET had conducted 2,259 inspections in the first nine months of 2003, and that citations had been issued in just 67 cases - or 2.9 percent of the total facilities inspected.
The federation said that the high rate of compliance was indicative of the heightened sense of responsibility with which the sector had dealt with problems that had arisen in the past.
The sector represented by POESE includes 200,000 businesses that employ an estimated 700,000 people.

ETC assembly focuses on travel trends
Global upheavals and events are affecting the age of those seeking to travel abroad for their holidays, with most tourists expected in the next few years expected to be in the under-45 years age group, according to data presented at the 65th General Assembly of the European Travel Commission which convened in Lisbon in late October.
Other trends highlighted by the ETC data include greater demand for a la carte products, increased tourist traffic in off-peak periods, greater demand for small hotel units with unique characteristics, a decline in organized group travel, less demand for bed-and-breakfast facilities, increased demand for comfortable transportation and sedate leisure activities.
According to the ETC data, a larger number of travellers will have higher education levels, increasing the demand for destinations with strong associations to the arts, culture, and history. Travellers will likely be more conscious of health-related issues, seeking holidays that provide more physical activity but less exposure to the sun.

ETC seeks to expand ecolabelling
Just one percent of businesses in the tourism sector in Europe have earned the ecolabel for high standards of environmental quality, according to the European Travel Commission.
Members meeting at the group's 65th General Assembly in Lisbon decide to expand the ecolabelling program, setting a goal of 10 percent by 2007.

Athens Airport says winter season off to a flying start
Athens International Airport has reported an eleven percent increase in regular flights over the same period last year, signalling a brisk start to the winter season that officially started on October 23.
According to data released by the Athens International Airport, the eleven percent rise represented an increase of 137 scheduled flights per week for a total of 1,385 scheduled flights to 100 destinations in 41 countries served by 51 airlines.
The eleven percent increase reflects a twenty percent increase in international flights to and from Athens International Airport, for a total of 737 scheduled flights weekly to 67 global destinations, and a two percent increase in domestic flights, for a total of 648 scheduled flights weekly. The percentages represent an increase of 123 international and 14 domestic flights compared to the winter season of the previous year.
London is the international top destination, with 73 scheduled flights each week (up from 59 last winter), followed by Larnaca, with 55 flights per week, Paris with 54, Rome with 48, and Frankfurt with 42. Thessaloniki is the top domestic destination, with airlines running 156 scheduled flights per week (up from 139 last winter).

Business up for Europcar
Europcar announced a 16 percent increase in turnover for the first eight months of 2003 in its preliminary financial results for the year.
The company attributed the increase to its investments and expansion strategy.
Europcar has 81 offices and 102 sales points in Greece. It now has new 3,000-square-meter wholly owned facilities at Metamorfosi, Attiki.
The company recently received a service distinction from the tour operator TUI AG. Pictured, left to right, ΒΑΤΕΚ general manager Ilias Bakis, ΒΑΤΕΚ president Alexandros Maniatopoulos, and Beate Kuszewski, head of World of TUI Cars.

First Info Centers meeting to be held in February
The first national meeting of Info Centers will be held February 7-8, 2004, the Development Ministry announced in a statement.
The meeting is being organized by the Tourist Development Enterprise of Achaia in cooperation with the Greek National Tourism Organization (ΕΟΤ).

Theodorakis, Fasianos among recipients of 2004 Xenios Dias Awards
The composer Mikis Theodorakis and the painter Alekos Fasianos are two of the recipients of this year's Xenios Dias Awards to be presented by the Greek National Tourism Organization (ΕΟΤ). Other recipients include the surrealist painter Pedro (Petros Papavasiliou), who lives in Italy; and the actor-director Lakis Lazopoulos, who is being awarded for his assistance to the victims of the Lefkada earthquakes as well as his artistic achievements; Japanese director Yugio Ninagawa, for his theatrical productions of ancient Greek drama; the writer Vassilis Vassilikos; the writer and journalist Javier Reverte, author of "Corazon de Ulises;" the Swedish writer and poet Ingemar Rhedin, for his acclaimed translations of poems by the Nobel laureate Odysseas Elytis; Jean Pierre Chanial, editor of the travel page of the daily Le Figaro; Esmail Sirag Eldim, director of the Alexandria Library; and the Athens Concert Hall, for its role in promoting Greece, especially in the off-peak season.
The awards will be presented on January 12 at a special ceremony.

Ionian islands stand out at Philoxenia
Illuminated posters of Corfu, Lefkada, Kefallonia, Ithaca, and Zakynthos highlighted the stunning beauty of Greece's Ionian isles at the 92-square-meter booth designed by the Ionian Isles' Tourism Enterprise (ΕΤΙΝ) for the 19th Philoxenia trade show held in Thessaloniki from October 30 to November 2.
The visuals were reinforced by the showing of an award-winning documentary about the area, which helped the ΕΤΙΝ presentation steal the show at the Helexpo venue and win the Special Organizers Prize for its booth.
Pamphlets distributed to visitors emphasized the proximity of the Ionian islands as a result of massive roadworks and other infrastructure improvements in western Greece's road network, including the Egnatia Odos, the undersea tunnel linking Preveza and Aktio, and the soon-to-be-completed bridge across the Corinthian Gulf that will link Rio, near Patras, with Antirio on the opposite shore.

BAFTAA roundtable at Philoxenia
The Balkan Federation of Tourist Agencies and Associations (BAFTAA) hosted a roundtable discussion on the prospects for developing tourism in the Balkans through closer cooperation of countries in the region as part of the group's presentation at the Philoxenia trade show in Thessaloniki last month.
The federation's headquarters are in Athens; members are Greece, Albania, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Montenegro, Slovenia, and Turkey.
Referring to the immense potential for developing tourism in the region, Development Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos said that a basic issue concerned transport and that this should be examined with a view to available assistance from the European Union for creating the required infrastructure.

ΗΑΤΤΑ presents awards for brochures
The Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (ΗΑΤΤΑ) continued a long-established practice of presenting awards for best-designed pamphlets and brochures to member-agencies as part of its activities at the annual Philoxenia trade show.
Awards are presented by a jury for overall presentation, design and layout, content, ease of use, and print quality. This year, the first prize went to Club Mediterranean, while second prize was awarded to Heronia Travel and third to Balakakis. Exelixis travel consultants received a distinction.
Α documentary on the Ionian islands, recipient of the second International Tourist Documentary Award, was screened during the awards presentation.

Aviation security is a government responsibility just like war and peace
The protection of civil aircraft, both on the ground and in the air, is a State's responsibility, and governments must shoulder the financial burden for air transport security, according to ΙΑΤΑ Director General and CEO Giovanni Bisignani. “Speaking in Athens at the annual AVSEC aviation security meeting, he said, "Security is an issue that goes far beyond aviation. It is a government responsibility, just like war and peace, and the costs must be assumed by society at large, not just by one industry.”
Heightened security has been a priority for the air transport community ever since the tragic events of 9/11. These measures have carried a high price tag, with costs for extra security measures imposed on the industry reaching 5 billion dollars last year. In 2002, the US government provided relief in the form of a security tax exemption. That measure has now lapsed. In Europe, ΙΑΤΑ is calling for a decision by the EU Council to oblige governments to assume responsibility for and funding of security measures.
"Terrorism is a threat against the State. The cost of aviation security must be borne by governments through general revenue and not from special taxes and user fees," said Bisignani. Aviation cannot be discriminated against when the state provides security free of charge for other modes of transport.
Bisignani highlighted urgent issues where States must work together to find rational solutions, including baggage re-screening for transit passengers, certification and testing of equipment, and harmonization of biometric identification for passengers. Only globally harmonized systems and standards can facilitate the smooth flow of passengers through security and border control formalities.
Air cargo security is another area where the industry supports the need for review. With ΙΑΤΑ members carrying more than 40 million tons of cargo annually, cargo screening must look at alternative programs that will effectively address the cargo concerns without choking the business.
"Security has truly become a global obsession, and the air transport industry is doing more than its share to keep our industry secure," concluded Bisignani. "ΙΑΤΑ will continue to provide concrete proof of our industry's security commitment by working with ICAO and individual governments in developing international security systems."

Gulf Air introduces in-flight nanny
Flight crews on routes to Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, London, as well as on the Bahrain-Sydney route will be staffed with trained nannies, the airline announced.
It said the in-flight or flying nannies all had special training in caring for children under 12 years of age, whether travelling with their parents or unaccompanied.
"Gulf Air is committed to surprising and impressing its customers, regardless of their age, by offering high quality services at all stages of travel on our network," said John Butler, Gulf Air vice president and director of sales and marketing.
As part of a cooperation agreement between Gulf Air and Olympic Airways, Olympic Airways has announced that it will reintroduce flights to Australia as from November 23. The daily flights will operate with ΟΑ flight number, with a transfer at Bahrain.
The Athens-Bahrain leg will be served by Gulf Air Airbus Α320 aircraft, while the second leg, Bahrain-Sydney, will be served by a Α340 aircraft. Flight crews would include attendants who spoke Greek.

Concorde craft retired
Fans of air travel can no longer dream of a flight aboard the Concorde, which made its last flight in October, but they will be able to get a close look at the legendary craft at one of seven locations around the world where the planes will be retired.
British Airways has announced that the aircraft will be taken now be on view at seven locations: the Airbus facility at Bristol; Manchester Airport; the Flight Museum near Edinburgh; Heathrow Airport; Seattle's Flight Museum; New York's Intrepid, Sea, Air, and Space Museum; and Grantley Adams Airport at Bridgetown, Barbados.
British Airways will also auction off items associated with the history of the Concorde on December 1 at Olympia Exhibition Hall in London. The first 500,000 British pounds raised from the auction will be donated to the Get Kids Going! organization that helps children with special needs who want to become involved in sports activities.

Goldair Cargo wins Attica gas contract
The Attica Gas Provider, ΕΡΑ Attikis, has awarded Goldair Cargo a logistics contract.
The contract between the two companies was signed in late October and concerns the handling of ΕΡΑ Attikis material by Goldair Cargo.

First Travelling Cruise Academy draws over 100 participants
Travelling and Royal Olympia Cruises teamed up to create a unique experience for travel professionals: the first Travelling Cruise Academy.
On October 24, more than 100 professionals from the travel industry set sail for a three-day Aegean cruise with port calls at Myconos, Rhodes, Patmos, and Kusadasi that combined professional seminars with site tours of the Hotel Leto on Myconos and the Casino-Hotel Grande Albergo Delle Rose on Rhodes.
While sailing from port to port, Academy sessions focused on aspects of the travel and tourism sector. The first Travelling Cruise Academy’s theme was cruises and the first-hand glimpse of life aboard a luxury cruise ship was enhanced with presentations by ROC’s director of sales and marketing, Evan Pezas on cruise holidays as well as ROC offers on its three ships in the port of Piraeus during the 2004 Olympic Games.
After sessions, participants had the opportunity to mingle and informally exchange information and experiences with colleagues from other parts of Greece. The idea for the Travelling Cruise Academy was inspired by the notion of travelling as a continuous journey to information and knowledge.

ΕΟΤ optimistic over prospects of British market
Greek officials attending the World Travel Market at London's Excel exhibition centre in early November appeared optimistic about the prospects of the British market, despite the generally restrained outlook for travel and tourism globally.
Greece's 1,200-square-meter booth includes presentations by the Athens 2004 Organizing Committee, the Cultural Olympiad, Olympic Airways, and several regional and municipal tourism authorities. During the booth's official inauguration, the Greek National Tourism Organization (ΕΟΤ) presented special awards to former ΑΒΤΑ president Stephen Bath, the former general secretary of the tour operators' association Alan Flook, and journalist Dave Richardson.

Patellis addresses Berlin sports tourism conference
Yiannis Patellis, president of the Greek National Tourism Organization (ΕΟΤ), was the honoured guest of an international conference on tourism and sports held in mid-November in Berlin.
The conference was organized by Germany, host of the 2006 World Cup, to look at how sports and tourism both "move the world." In his opening address, Patellis discussed preparations for hosting the Olympic Games from the perspective of a tourism authority.

From My Notebook
- Several leading international airlines are introducing new services aloft in a new competition to win the former, high-priced Concorde passenger traffic.
- British Airways, in its efforts, is introducing “sleepers” on transatlantic flights (to compete with similar service offered by Virgin Atlantic). To facilitate longer “sleeps” the airline in introducing a new notion of meals before and after flight schedules.
- There are those in the travel business who believe that Virgin’s Richard Branston will wind up flying the presently grounded Concorde. Meanwhile, Virgin Express is offering optional meals, to be ordered in advance of flight, and at an extra cost.
- British Airways has announced plans to have its seven Concorde aircraft put on public display, with two in the U.S.Α., one in Barbados, and three in the United Kingdom.
- Singapore Airlines is introducing longer, non-stop, commercial flights, such as, from Singapore to Los Angeles, of 18 hours duration.
- Qantas, national airline of Australia, is the latest international airline to launch a subsidiary “low cost” domestic airline, with operations scheduled to start in 2004.
- Helios Airlines, the Cypriot charter airline, is introducing its first regularly scheduled service between London and Paphos.
- As a financial air primarily to help domestic airlines, airports in the U.S.Α. have been slashing landing fees and terminal and airfield space rentals to better accommodate low cost airline operations. This helps boost local tourism.
- Tourism to Spain this fall was, in many instances, fully booked, especially to such destinations as Barcelona and Valencia.
- Some leading British tour operators report impressive increases in business, mainly in outgoing tourist traffic.
- Parallel to all these developments there appears to be a general trend to keep raising airfares.
- Business travellers are reducing their travel expenditures with more and more flying in economy class and on low cost air carriers, according to a recent survey of American Express.
- The City of New York is opening tourist offices abroad to help revitalize international visitors; the first is in Paris.
- To the detriment of pedestrians and others alike, the motorcycle has become the predominant from of ground transportation in central Athens, gaining the Greek capital the sobriquet of “Bangkok of Europe”.
- Whatwith the recent unsuccessful series of taxi strikes in Athens, an inspiration for possibly more positive results comes from the taxi drivers in Warsaw. In the Polish capital the drivers chose to operate on a strike, but at very, very slow movement of their cabs.
- Travel and tourism still ranks as the top industry in the world, with some 200 million jobs, according to statistics of the World Travel and Tourism Council. Forecast of the WTTC is for ten billion international travellers by 2005.
- In commercial air travel the Greeks have maintained the lead in the extent of “carry-on” baggage - with some “bulging” with three and four so-called “carry-on” bags.
- Wisdom Department:
The trouble with being a good sport is that you have to lose to prove it.
Luck is factor in the other guy’s success.
The premise of being on time carries a lot of wait.
Those who think they know it all is very annoying to those do.