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Tourismus im Aufwind - Griechenland

Bagpipes, graffiti, snail hunting: Greece tourism shifts gears


By Daisy Carrington for CNN
August 1, 2014 -- Updated 0843 GMT (1643 HKT)

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Tour company Alternative Athens organizes quirky walks around the Greek capital, including a graffiti tour and an "enchanted forest" visit outside of the city.
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Milos has a lot to offer travelers: ancient thermal baths, underwater caves, an old pirate lair and 3rd-century catacombs decorated with Christian murals.
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Frangiksos Karelas converted his family farm, Eumelia, into an agro tourism venture that includes a range of holistic activities, including yoga retreats, mountain biking, olive picking and wine making.
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Visitors to the Bioporos organic farm on Crete can eat at the on-site restaurant, participate in farming activities, learn traditional methods of cooking (the premises doesn't use electricity) or detox with the help of magnetic therapy.
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The Biolea organic farm on Crete runs free tours of the grounds by appointment. Visitors get a rare glimpse into the Cretan olive oil tradition.
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Guests at the Kisterna Hotel on Elafonisos can harvest the estate's olives and grapes (with their feet), try their hand at soap making, basket weaving or fishing.
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Milia Mountain Retreat, an eco-lodge in Crete, offers gastronomy workshops that focus on the island's culinary traditions. Guests even get to play beekeeper at a local honeybee farm.
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Cooking lessons at the Milia Mountain Retreat are broken up by nature hikes, beach bumming and a vineyard tour.

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Alternative Athens
Milos
Eumelia farm (Laconia)
Bioporos organic farm (Corfu)
Biolea organic farm (Crete)
Kisterna Hotel (Elafonisos)
Milia Mountain Retreat (Crete)
Fired up














STORY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Greek financial crisis has inspired innovation in country's tourism industry
  • Tina Kyriakis, the founder of Alternative Athens, offers tours of the city's best graffiti
  • Antonis Mallis left a lucrative job to start a travel agency promoting his home island of Milos


(CNN) -- Bagpipes aren't a sound one readily associates with Greece.
Yet along with the menacingly slow beat of a drum, they're the soundtrack of one of the country's more unusual historic tours.
A small group, illuminated by gas lanterns, is standing at the foot of a medieval moat at the entrance to one of Europe's best-preserved medieval cities and a UNESCO World Heritage site -- the Old Town in Rhodes.
A guide dressed as one of the Knights of Saint John is leading the tour, dredging up some of the island's more sinister history, including how Sultan Suleiman the Great used fallen bodies from his own army to cross the moat during the 1522 Siege of Rhodes.
Experiencing the 'new' Greece
Perhaps even more surreal than this somewhat kitsch historical re-enactment is the fact that it was conceived by one of the island's most exclusive resorts: Lindian Village (Rhodes; +30 22440 35900; rooms from $213; Medieval Mystery Tour $203 per person).
This year, the property launched a series of unique offerings under the heading "Experience Greece."
Other excursions include a fishing expedition on a caique (a traditional wooden fishing boat), beauty treatments performed with natural Greek products (yogurt, honey and lemon) and wine tastings from small vineyards in the surrounding Dodecanese islands.
Mariza Sviriadis, the hotel's managing director, says the idea came to her during the six-year economic crisis that brought much of the country to its knees.
"The whole of Greece, it was like a small war," she tells CNN.
While many properties on the island reacted by pushing out all-inclusive packages -- essentially keeping tourists indoors and away from local businesses in dire need of cash -- Sviriadis decided to take the opposite approach.
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Milos has been overlooked by package tours.


She launched "Experience Greece" to get guests out of the hotel, and to promote sites that, though deserving, had remained under the radar for far too long.
"I wanted to show that there was more to Greece than that, and more to Greece than feta cheese," she says.
"The crisis forced us to change the way we were thinking, and to get creative. Before, we could be a bit arrogant. Now, we have to be the best."
Nothing to lose
Sviriadis isn't alone.
Throughout Greece, the recession is changing tourist offerings, giving them a new slant.
"The crisis is the best thing that happened to me," says Tina Kyriakis, founder of Alternative Athens (+30 6948 405 242; tours from $60 per person).
Kyriakis worked in marketing for a multinational corporation before she was laid off in 2010.
Two years later, she launched her own tourism company.
Like Sviriadis, she noticed that tour offerings in Athens had been stuck in a rut.
"I looked around at what existed in Athens in terms of tourism and it was all very standard, very stereotypical, all 'ancient Athens'," she says.
"There is so much more to Athens than just the ancient part.
"It's a very complicated city and you have to get under its skin to understand it and appreciate it. So that was the concept."
In addition to its quirky walking tours (among the most popular are a graffiti tour and a guided walk through the "enchanted forests" outside the city), the company pairs visitors with Athenian gourmets, who host four-course supper clubs in their apartments.
She now hosts two tours a day, attracting up to 25 visitors at a time.
If it weren't for Greece's economic slump, she says she might never have found the courage to start the venture.
"It was the kick in the butt I needed. I could either go back to the corporate world, which doesn't have a future in Greece any more, or I could do this.
"So I just jumped in and did it, because there was nothing I could lose."
MORE: Will new seaplane service open up Greece?
Beyond the package vacation
There are many regions in Greece that package tour operators miss, regions that are only recently starting to find their voice.
The island of Milos is a case in point.
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Frangiksos Karelas converted his family farm into an agrotourism venture.


Sure, it's home to Phylakopi, a bronze-aged settlement that lays claim to being one of Europe's oldest cities.
It also possesses a history of mineral extraction that would set any geologist's heart aflutter and is where the Venus de Milo was uncovered.
Yet it has been largely overlooked by tour operators, low-cost airlines and visitors alike.
"We're not that kind of destination. We have small family-run hotels that focus on service and quality rather than volume," says Antonis Mallis, who runs boutique travel agency Travel Me to Milos (+30 22870 41008; packages from $40 per person per day).
"We don't have hotels where you can go in and sell, sell, sell.
"That's why tour operators don't like us that much. We're a headache.
Mallis started his company in 2011 after leaving a lucrative position at an insurance company to return to his home island.
"The majority said, 'are you crazy? You're leaving a very good, well-paying job for something like this?'"
Mallis recognized that Milos had a lot to offer travelers: ancient thermal baths, underwater caves, an old pirate lair, third-century catacombs decorated with Christian murals.
He also recognized that no one was talking up the island's assets, or making them accessible.
"It's easy to go online and get a cheap room. It's not easy to get in-depth knowledge of a destination.
"If someone contacts us, we can tell them where to go, or which way the wind is blowing that day."
Mallis supplies more than weather updates.
His specialty is archeology and geological tours, which highlight some of the island's incredible scenery.
He's also teamed up with other vendors on the island to offer a range of sailing and hiking expeditions.
He recently introduced cooking lessons that showcase the island's local cheese and produce.
"As a young boy, I'd remember seeing the odd, small German group walking around the island, but that was it. Now, we have something more organized, we're reaching more markets, and we're seeing progress," he says.
MORE: Which Greek island is best for you?
Other tours
Other examples of off-the-beaten path experiences abound, many introduced by local companies launched in the last few years.
Eumelia
Frangiksos Karelas converted his family farm into an agro-tourism venture that includes a range of holistic activities, including yoga retreats, mountain biking, olive picking and wine making.
Eumelia, Laconia; +30 21303 69814; see website for tours and prices
Biolea
Producing one of the few single-estate olive oils in Greece, this organic farm uses a traditional stone mill, and runs free tours of the grounds by appointment. Visitors get a rare glimpse into the Cretan olive oil tradition.
Biolea, Crete; +30 2824 023281
Bioporos
An organic farm on the southwest coat of Corfu, Bioporos lies between the only cedar forest in the Mediterranean and a Blue Flag beach.
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Fired up: Milia Mountain Retreat on Crete.


Visitors can eat at the organic restaurant on site, participate in farming activities, learn traditional methods of cooking (the premises doesn't use electricity) or detox with the help of magnetic therapy.
Bioporos, Corfu; +30 2661076224
Kinsterna Hotel
Housed in a 13th-century manor and surrounded by 18 acres of olive groves, vineyards and citrus trees, the Kinsterna Hotel seems a slice of paradise.
It opened its doors in 2010, and has since introduced a range of exotic activities.
Guests can harvest the estate's olives and grapes (with their feet), try their hand at soap making, basket weaving or fishing, or can simply tour some of the nearby scenery, including the Jurassic era Kastania Cave.
Kinsterna Hotel, Elafonisos: +30 2732066300; rooms from $241
Avli Hotel
Among other culinary offerings, Crete is known for its snails.
At the Avli Hotel, guests can go on a morning excursion through the mountains to gather the shelled creatures, which are later served for lunch or dinner.
Avli Hotel, Crete; +30 28310 58250/26213; from $241 for two nights, two people
Ikarian Winery
Located in one of the "blue zones" (one of five areas in the world known for the exceptional longevity of the local population), the friendly, family-run Ikarian Winery draws in guests with its affordable (and perhaps life-lengthening) cooking and wine courses.
Food and wine seminars last up to six days (there's accommodation on the premises), though those short of time can opt for a wine tasting (served with snacks).
Ikarian Winery, Ikaria; +30 22750 31151; six day courses from $400 per person
Milia Mountain Retreat
Milia Mountain Retreat, an eco-lodge in Crete, teams with Natour Lab to offer five- and seven-day gastronomy workshops that focus on the island's culinary traditions.
Guests even get to play beekeeper at a local honeybee farm.
Cooking lessons are broken up by nature hikes, beach bumming and a vineyard tour.
Mila Mountain Retreat, Crete; +30 28210 46774; cooking workshops from $127

- - - Aktualisiert - - -
 
Tourismus – Gästerekord in Griechenland Von Takis Tsafos


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Touristen strömen nach Griechenland. Sie profitieren von den vielerorts günstigen Preisen. Foto: Maurizio Gambarini

Athen – Der wichtigste griechische Wirtschaftsbereich, der Tourismus, boomt. Erwartet wird ein neuer Gästerekord in diesem Jahr. Aber es gibt auch Schattenseiten des Booms.





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Altgediente Hoteliers sind sich einig: Noch nie hat es einen solchen Touristenstrom nach Griechenland gegeben. Regierungschef Antonis Samaras ist begeistert. Die Rekordmarke von 20 Millionen Besuchern soll bis zum Jahresende erreicht werden, sagte er kürzlich. Fast jeder dritte Grieche ist direkt oder indirekt mit dem Tourismus verbunden. Ist das Hotel voll, profitieren auch die Taverne und die Bar nebenan davon, ebenso wie Lieferanten und die Landwirtschaft. Für die griechische Wirtschaft, die seit mehreren Jahren in einer schweren Krise steckt, ist der Boom ein Hoffnungsschimmer.
Die Preise sind im Vergleich zum Jahr 2009 um bis zu 30 Prozent gesunken. In Athen, wo man noch vor wenigen Jahren kein vernünftiges Zimmer unter 70 Euro pro Nacht fand, zahlt man heute 40 Euro. Auf der Halbinsel Peloponnes und den weniger bekannten Inseln gibt es Zimmer mit Blick auf's Meer für 30 Euro.
Doch nicht überall ist es billiger geworden, vor allem nicht auf der Jet-Set-Insel Mykonos. Dort setzt man vor allem auf Reiche und alle, die dazu gehören wollen. Insgesamt 2,5 Millionen Euro kassierte beispielsweise eine Bar von ihren Gästen an einem Abend, für sie den spanischen Sänger Julio Iglesias verpflichtet hatte. Reiche Araber, türkische Großunternehmer, Fußballspieler von Weltmeisterklasse und Stars und Sternchen des Showbusiness sind dieses Jahr auf Mykonos gesehen worden.
Alles für den Gast heißt das Motto in den Touristenhochburgen von Kreta, Rhodos, Kos und Korfu. «Ein unzufriedener Besucher sorgt für zehn Gäste weniger, wenn er seine schlechten Erfahrungen erzählt. Das haben wir uns hinter die Ohren geschrieben», sagt Christos Pilatakis Hoteldirektor in dem Touristenort Lindos auf Rhodos.
Es sind jedoch nicht allein die Anstrengungen der Griechen, die zum Aufschwung des Tourismus geführt haben. Traditionelle Konkurrenten wie Ägypten verzeichnen deutliche Rückgänge bei den Gästezahlen. Rund 15 Millionen Touristen schwenkten dieses Jahr um auf sicherere Urlaubsziele im Süden Europas, schätzen die griechischen Tourismusbehörden.
Es gibt aber auch Schattenseiten des Booms. Die Gewerkschaft der Tourismusangestellten der Insel Rhodos protestierte jüngst: Viele Hoteliers seien im Rückstand bei der Zahlung der Gehälter - zwischen einem und drei Monate. Dies betreffe rund 12 000 von insgesamt 17 000 Gewerkschaftsmitgliedern auf Rhodos. Die Hoteliers bestreiten dies. Es gebe nur einige, wenige Fälle, heißt es.
«Nicht wenige Hotelbesitzer sagen uns, sie werden uns am Ende der Saison (November) alles zahlen. Zum Glück gibt es das Trinkgeld der Gäste», sagt ein Empfangsangestellter eines Hotels in der Hafenstadt Patras. Ein Unternehmer auf der Insel Ägina bot Zimmermädchen an, im Hotel zu essen und nur noch vom Trinkgeld zu leben. Der Hotelierverband der Insel betont, es handele sich um eine Ausnahme. Auch die Spannungen zwischen der EU und Russland belasten das Tourismusklima in Griechenland. Es gibt bereits Annullierungen nachdem russische Reiseagenturen pleite gingen.
Trotz der Probleme sind die Griechen dieses Jahr - was den Tourismus betrifft - zufrieden. Der Sektor läuft gut und gibt Zehntausenden Menschen Arbeit. «Für uns ist und bleibt der Tourismus der Motor für die griechische Wirtschaft», sagt Hotelier Dimitris Skalidis. (dpa)
 
Über 21 Millionen touris für 2014 erwartet.

Πάμε για 21,5 εκ. τουρίστες τελικά φέτος, αναθεώρηση στόχων προς τα πάνω
06/09/2014 - 12:45





Με βάση τα διαθέσιμα στοιχεία για την εξέλιξη της τουριστικής περιόδου, ο ΣΕΤΕ προχωρά στην αναθεώρηση των στόχων για το 2014 σε 21,5 εκατ. συμπεριλαμβανομένης της κρουαζιέρας και σε 13,5 δισ. ευρώ άμεσων εσόδων, παρά την ρωσο-ουκρανική κρίση που θα στοιχίσει στον τουρισμό περίπου 300 εκατ. ευρώ.

Μιλά για δημιουργία έως 100.000 νέων θέσεων εργασίας, ενώ καταγράφει και τα παράπλευρα οφέλη για άλλους τομείς της οικονομίας που συνδέονται με τον τουρισμό.

Ειδικότερα, σύμφωνα με ανακοίνωση του Συνδέσμου Ελληνικών Τουριστικών Επιχειρήσεων (ΣΕΤΕ), με βάση τα διαθέσιμα στοιχεία του ΣΕΤΕ, σχετικά με τις διεθνείς αεροπορικές αφίξεις στα κυριότερα αεροδρόμια της χώρας, συνεχίστηκε η εντυπωσιακή αύξηση και κατά τη διάρκεια του Αυγούστου, καταγράφοντας άνοδο 13,6% σε σχέση με τον Αύγουστο του 2013.

Σε επίπεδο οκταμήνου, η αύξηση αγγίζει το 15,8% σε σχέση με το ίδιο διάστημα πέρυσι.

Με βάση τα παραπάνω στατιστικά στοιχεία σχετικά με την εξέλιξη της τουριστικής περιόδου, ο ΣΕΤΕ προχωρά στην αναθεώρηση των στόχων για το 2014 σε 19,5 εκατ. διεθνών αφίξεων (προηγούμενη εκτίμηση, 19 εκατ.), συνολικά 21,5 εκατ. συμπεριλαμβανομένης της κρουαζιέρας και σε 13,5 δισ. ευρώ άμεσων εσόδων (προηγούμενη εκτίμηση, 13 δισ. ευρώ) συμπεριλαμβανομένης της κρουαζιέρας, αντίστοιχα.

Ιδιαίτερα σημαντική εκτιμάται ότι θα είναι η συνεισφορά του τουρισμού στην ενίσχυση άλλων τομέων της οικονομίας, όπως η γεωργική παραγωγή, η μεταποίηση και το εμπόριο, αλλά και στην απασχόληση, με τη δημιουργία 80.000 έως 100.000 νέων θέσεων εργασίας, με την παράλληλη υποστήριξη των ασφαλιστικών ταμείων λόγω της μείωσης των εσόδων που έχει προκύψει από άλλους τομείς της οικονομίας, σημειώνει ο Σύνδεσμος.

Σημειώνεται, τονίζει ο ΣΕΤΕ, πως οι στόχοι θα επιτευχθούν, παρά τις απώλειες τουριστικών εσόδων για το τρέχον έτος, λόγω της κρίσης σε Ρωσία και Ουκρανία, οι οποίες υπολογίζεται ότι θα ανέλθουν σε περίπου 300 εκατ. ευρώ.

Οι αναφερόμενοι στόχοι επιτυγχάνονται 2-3 χρόνια νωρίτερα από το αναμενόμενο, βάσει του «Οδικού Χάρτη 2021» για την ανάπτυξη του ελληνικού τουρισμού δημιουργώντας συνθήκες ανάπτυξης του ΑΕΠ της χώρας άνω του 0,6% για το 2014.
 
Insider: Οι followers ψήφισαν -Η Ελλάδα ο καλύτερος προορισμός του 2020 -Ιστορία, φαγητό, γραφικά τοπία


https://www.iefimerida.gr/travel/insider-followers-psifisan-ellada-proorismos-2020



[h=1]A poll of Insider's followers revealed Greece to be the No. 1 travel destination for 2020[/h]https://www.insider.com/greece-number-one-country-to-visit-2020

  • Insider named Greece the No. 1 country to visit in 2020 based on research and votes from viewers.
  • Greece is known for its rich ancient history and culture. You can tour popular UNESCO heritage sites, swim at beautiful beaches, and go skiing on one of its mountain ranges.
  • Eat delicious Greek food, like baklava — a flaky, sweet pastry — or fresh feta cheese, made from sheep's milk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf9Gtmxpe0k
 

Hundreds of thousands of holiday bookings in Greece for July, August and the following months remain active in the systems of the major German tour operators as well as of airlines and hotels, as they have not been canceled despite the pandemic.

Sources among tour operators in Germany have told Kathimerini that only a small percentage of customers have asked for their bookings to be canceled and their money returned in the biggest market for Greek tourism in travel spending terms (at 2.937 billion euros in 2019).
 
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