GREECE looks set to report a very successful 1999 season despite earlier fears that the crisis in Kosovo would steer holidaymakers away from eastern Mediterranean resorts.
According to figures from the Hellenic Tourism Organisation, 1999 will be Greece’s best year to date, with over 2.5m visitors from the UK – a 15% increase on 1998.
The organisation’s director for UK and Ireland, Panos Argyos, said:”This year has been brilliant. It has sold well because travel agents are very familiar with the country, and aside from offering good value for money, they all know how Greece has improved its infrastructure over the last three years.”
These improvements have included renovation of both of Crete’s main airports, as well as those in Athens, Rhodes and Thessaloniki.
The Hellenic Tourism Organisation is also preparing for a busy 2000 with a larger than average promotional spend.
“The UK advertising budget is up almost 60% to £1.6m,”said Argyos. The focus of the campaign has not yet been decided.
Operators are also looking forward to a bumper 2000 following a good 1999.
Airtours marketing sales and development director Ed Simms said 1999 was on a par with 1998 and signs for summer 2000 were positive. “Summer 2000 looks good thanks to hoteliers pricing very aggressively,” he added.
Such competitive pricing translates into some attractive lead-in prices. Seven nights at the two-star Maria self-catering apartments in Zante departing May 2000 leads in at £204.
Simms said Airtours wanted to diversify its holiday range to Greece. “We want to expand on products which are more often associated with specialist operators.”
This could include cruising, as well as tailor-made options, such as car hire and pre-bookable tours, all of which would be commissionable to agents. Simms pointed out this all goes towards Airtours’ plan to ‘repackage the package’.
Cosmos is planning to break into the all-inclusive market with its recently relaunched Millennium Greece and Turkey brochure – its first dedicated brochure for the region in three years.
Although Greece has traditionally shunned this trend, Cosmos Greece and Turkey product manager Emma Radley said: “We have five all-inclusive properties in our Greek programme, all of which are ideal for the familymarket.”
A seven- night all-inclusive deal at the four-star Golden Beach hotel in Ialyssos, Rhodes, starts at £429.
Cosmos’ new programme has a decidedly youthful slant, and has offers that are more likely to appeal to the younger generation. Seven nights’ self-catering accommodation at the Smaragda apartments near Lyndos in Rhodes costs from £299.
For a real no-frills deal, Thomson’s new Just brochure is hard to beat.
Prices start at £100 for seven nights in Corfu. The offer includes flights and accommodation and is subject to availability.
Thomson’s Greece product manager Nicola Salter said deals like this reflect a major trend in the market – namely the growth in independent travellers wanting to discover the islands for themselves.
But as the tourist office has been trying to stress for some time, Greece can offer more than just bargain breaks with sun and sand.
First Choice has expanded its programme for 2000, offering a number of activity breaks alongside its more traditional Greek holidays. Seven nights’ trekking in the mythical region of Odysseus costs from £439.
Roadshows to help agents prepare for 2000 start this month.
Each will feature workshops organised by a number of independent operators, such as Argo, Sunvil, Libra and Odyssey, as well as cruise specialist Golden Sun. Birmingham is first on October 25, then Manchester on 26, Newcastle on 27 and Glasgow on 28. Cardiff is on November 1, followed by Brighton the next day.
The Hellenic Tourism Organisation can be contacted at 4 Conduit Street, London W1R 0DJ. Tel: 020-7734 5997, fax: 020-7287 1639.