2010 – Page 3 – Easytraveller.gr

3 Continents 4 Countries Mediterranean Cruise

10/07/2010 Easytraveller Leave a comment Mediterranean Cruises

With this East Mediterranean cruise you visit 4 countries in 3 different continents! Enjoy the life in our luxury cruise ship and visit places that made civilization thousand of years before.

This cruise is operated by Louis Cruises on board the Louis Cristal
Itineraray
FRIDAY: ATHENS Greece – ISTANBUL Turkey: Our cruise ship will leave the port of Piraeus at 11:00 for a 7 full days of fun and experiences. We go along the Athens Riviera in the Saronic Golf to the south end of Attica passing close to the Temple of Poseidon in Cape Sounion. This afternoon is a good opportunity to get around and know your ship and the services we provide. This evening as every evening on board after dinner our entertainment team will wait for you for an enjoyable night.

SATURDAY: ISTANBUL Turkey: A full day in Istanbul with the graceful minarets of countless mosques. Istanbul’s blend of East & West has resulted in some of the most magnificent architecture in the world, including the Aghia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Topkapi Palace. Explore this ancient city by participating in one of the optional tours and bargain for your own treasures at one of the 5.000 shops of the famous Grand Bazaar.

SUNDAY: AT SEA: Enjoy a full day on board, either relaxing and soaking up the sun, reading a good book from the library, running for a prize with one of the quizzes or learning some new Greek dance steps. Start the evening with your favourite cocktail in one of the lounges of on deck and after a delicious dinner; enjoy an international show time, disco and casino.

TUESDAY: ASHDOD / JERUSALEM (ISRAEL): A full day in Israel. Perched on sand dunes, Ashdod is one of Israel’s three planned cities. Passengers taking the optional tour to Jerusalem and Bethlehem will disembark here. During the visit to Jerusalem and Bethlehem you will walk the Via Dolorosa and see the Stations of the Cross. Among many other sites of interest are: the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and, in Bethlehem, the Church of the Nativity.

WEDNESDAY: PORT SAID / CAIRO / ALEXANDRIA (EGYPT): First port of call is Port Said. Strategically located at the entrance to the Suez Canal, Port Said is a thriving city and gateway to Cairo in the south, site of the ancient monuments of the Egyptian empire, which have fascinated visitors throughout the ages. The mystifying Sphinx and the pyramids of Giza stand magically on the outskirts of the city at the edge of the desert. Cairo’s museum of Antiquities holds one of the finest collections of artefacts in the world, including the astounding treasures of King Tutankhamen’s tomb.
IMPORTANT: At the end of the optional tours, embarkation takes place in Alexandria port.

THURSDAY: AGIOS NIKOLAOS / HERAKLION(CRETE): Morning on board. In the afternoon arrival at the Cretan port of Agios Nikolaos. Take the opportunity to participate in the optional tour to the Palace of Knossos to visit the centre of the Minoan Civilization in Heraklion.

FRIDAY: PIRAEUS/ATHENS: Early morning arrival in Piraeus port. After breakfast on board, disembarkation and fly back home or continue your vacation in Greece.

For more details and bookings please click here

Versiones en español de este crucero

We were very Pleased

30/06/2010 Easytraveller Leave a comment Clients Impressions

Hi Apostolos,
Tony and I were very pleased with the service you provided much better than we expected all the arrangements you made for us worked to perfection. The hotel was good and the location worked well for our needs.
Our only complaint which was not your fault was that because we started our cruise in Athens we did not get enough information on board the Orient Queen . If we had another cruise we would choose to start at the original embankment port. The service was good on the cruise and we loved the greek Islands and hope to visit again very soon.
Thank you very much once again for all your help.
Regards Geraldine.
UK

How expensive is finally, Greece for the tourists?

18/06/2010 Easytraveller Leave a comment Travel News

The British Posts published and this year the results of their research for the cost of vacations in various destinations of British tourist (the Post Office Holiday Cost Barometer). In this research is recorded the cost for various expenses: – in Bar/Cafe (coffee, beer Heineken, Coca-Cola), – in Super Market (bottled water, tuning oil, anti mosquitos custard, cigarettes Marlboro), – in local Restaurant (a dinner of 3 dishes with wine, for 2 individuals).

The research took place in 30 destinations, included also Greece, from Canada up to Indonesia and from Brazil up to Japan.

According to the analysis of data made by the GBR Consulting, Greece occupies the 18th place, in total of cost, in the list of the 30 destinations with total expense 63,4 Pounds. In the individual categories however, it occupies: – the No. 1 place in the category Bar/Cafe with total expense 11,83 Pounds – the No. 16 place in the category Super Market with total expense 13,73 Pounds, – the No. 23 place in the category Restaurant with total expense 37,86 Pounds.

In absolutely numbers for the total of mentioned before expenses, and concerning our direct competition, the research shows that Greece is considerably more expensive than Spain (44,84 Pounds in the total), roughly in the same levels with Egypt (60,76), Croatia (62,44), Portugal (64,21) and Malta (64,95) and considerably cheaper than Cyprus (72,42) and Turkey (75,21).

In the last year’s research between 18 destinations, Greece occupied the 8th more expensive place on the total, while in the individual categories: – the No. 1 place in the category Bar/Cafe – the No. 9 place in the category Restaurant – the No. 13 place in the category Super Market/Tourist Shop

That is to say, the number one more expensive for the tourists –with the repercussions for the total picture for the Greek tourist product – are Bar/Cafe while in the Restaurants and the Super Market Greece are straightly competitive.
Considering that this research was made with the exchange parities of 4 January 2010 and since then the Euro has weakened considerably (from 0,9 British Pounds in 0,84 and from 1,44 Dollars in 1,23) it is clear that destinations with Euro, as Greece, are now more attractive.

Posted by The Easytraveller Team

European Committee: Clean the Greek coasts

17/06/2010 Easytraveller Leave a comment Travel News

Almost all coasts of Greece, Cyprus, France and Portugal fulfill the microbiological criteria for safe swimming and are found in the top of 20.000 coasts and internal waters of swimming of Europe, according to evaluation of European Committee, that is expected to be published shortly. The Greek coasts represent roughly the 10% of total of Europe.

The Committee confirms very important improvement of quality of coasts in all Europe at the last 20 years when the percentages of suitable coasts were increased at this period from 80% to 96%.

Posted by The Easytraveller Team

I am very pleased

12/06/2010 Easytraveller Leave a comment Clients Impressions

Apostolos

I am very pleased to provide you with feedback on our Greece holiday which you organised for us.

I liked the way you organised our trip with the minimum fuss and involvement on your part. Everything worked smoothly from the time we reached Athens right up to the time we left. I have no hesitation in recommending your services …to any traveller who wishes to engage you to organise their visit to Greece.

Thank you very much for all you have done for us.
Best wishes & kind regards.

Kalyan
United Kingdom

Common Statement of Greece and Turkey for the tourism and the culture

17/05/2010 Easytraveller Leave a comment Travel News

Common Statement for the tourism and the culture signed Friday of 14 May by the minister of Culture and Tourism Mr Pavlos Geroulanos with the Turkish minister Ertugrul Gunay, as part of the Council of Collaboration between Greece and Turkey, that was realized in Athens with the presence of the Prime Ministers of Greece and Turkey.

The Common Statement for the Tourism forecasts inter alia:
•   The common promotion (Greek-Turkish) of travelling packages to third countries, mainly to China. On 30 May travel professionals from China will visit Greece and Turkey.
•   The investigation of possibility of collaboration in the sector of cultural tourism mainly via the cultural roads ( roads of Wine, roads of Olive…).
•   The 8th Greek-Turkish Forum on the Tourism which will take place in Athens, in the fourth quarter 2010.
•   Making stronger the already good collaboration of Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (HATTA), with the Organism of Turkish Travelling Agencies (TURSAB).
In the sector of Cultural Heritage the two ministries:
•   They will exchange know-how and experiences on issues of protection, maintenance and restoration of monuments, mainly for the protection of cultural heritage that is influenced by big public works.
•   They will collaborate for the protection of cultural property and the dissuasion of illegal excavations and distribution of antiquities.
•   They will encourage the collaboration in the sector of excavations and will exchange of visits of archaeologists from the two countries.
•   They will organize common conferences on the protection of cultural heritage with the attendance of representatives of world community.
In the sector of Modern Culture the two ministries:
They will encourage the reciprocal organization of cinematographic weeks dedicated in Greece and in Turkey.
They will encourage the already good collaboration between theatrical organisms and their attendance in festivals of two countries. Will also be promoting the exchange of theatrical representation each two years. Corresponding initiative will be received for the dance.
Will be promoting the collaboration of directors of orchestra of each country, with big Symphonic Orchestras of the other country.
Will be promoting the further collaboration of government owned organisms of book, writers, translators and editors and will arrange common deliberations and meetings on the approach of translations.
Will be promoting the exchange of exhibitions of photograph and figurative arts.

The Easytraveller Team

Direct flights of Croatia Airlines Zagreb to Athens

10/05/2010 Easytraveller Leave a comment Travel News

The Croatia Airlines, the Croatian national air carrier and member of Star Alliance association, includes now also Athens in the network of his European destinations. This year, from 1 June, for first time in the history of company, they start regular international flights Zagreb-Athens, three times per week – Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. The capitals of Croatia and Greece will connected with modern and comfortable planes Airbus of 319 (capacity of 132 places) and Airbus of 320 (capacity of 162 places).

The plane leaves from Zagreb at 15:25 and arrives in Athens at 17:15. From Athens leaves at 18:05 and arrives in Zagreb at 20:05.

The Croatia Airlines expects that the launch of the Zagreb-Athens flights will contribute in the promotion of world product that offers to the passengers the bigger air federation in the world, the Star Alliance. The carriers, members of Star Alliance, offer more than 19.500 daily flights serving 1071 destinations in 171 countries. Croatia Airlines became complete member of Star Alliance this year the.

The Easytraveller Team

Merger agreement signed by British Airways and Iberia

09/04/2010 Easytraveller Leave a comment Travel News

Iberia and British Airways have today taken a further step towards creating a new leading European airline group by signing their merger agreement. The merger is expected to be completed in late 2010 and will benefit both airlines’ shareholders, customers and employees. The new company will be one of the world’s largest airline groups with 408 aircraft flying to 200 destinations and carrying more than 58 million passengers per year. It has been structured so that it can take advantage of further consolidation in the global aviation industry.
The new group will generate annual synergies of approximately €400 million by the fifth year of the merger. It will create a new holding company called International Consolidated Airlines Group SA which will be known as International Airlines Group. Both airlines will retain their current operations and operate under their individual brands – British Airways and Iberia.
Antonio Vazquez, Iberia’s chairman and chief executive, said: “This is an important step in the process towards creating one of the world’s leading global airlines that will be better equipped to compete with other major airlines and participate in future industry consolidation. We look forward to concluding the deal before the year end.”
Willie Walsh, British Airways chief executive, said: “The merged company will provide customers with a larger combined network. It will also have greater potential for further growth by optimizing the dual hubs of London and Madrid and providing continued investment in new products and services.”

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Greece goes up in the 1st place of preferences of Austrian Tourists

29/03/2010 Easytraveller Leave a comment Travel News

Karmasin Institute of Researches presented in Austrian press a study made on behalf of the Corp Touristique (Union of National Tourist Organisms in Austria)
The research was carried out with the method of sampling and participated 1.000 individuals from 18 years and more

54% of questioned has the intention to go for vacation in 2010 and from them 79% will go abroad. From those intended to travel abroad 46 already have proceeded in reservation, while the 54% are in the process of choice of destination.
The good weather and the cultural heritage of the country are the main factors of choice. 61% travel for leisure in the sun and sea, 34% to visit cultural sites and 26% are interested in visiting cities.
57% prefer individual packages while 40% prefers ready packages.
The preferred countries for the Austrians in 2010 are: Greece 22% (was in the 4th place last year) and Italy with 22%, Croatia (15%), Germany (11%) and Spain with 11%followed by Turkey and Egypt in the next places.
The main factors for choosing a vacation destination are: The relation between price and offered services, the cleanness and the hygiene.
The amount to be spent is euro 1000 from the 37%, euro 2000 from the 35% and up to euro 3000 from the 11%.
66% of the travelers seeks information from the internet while 50% books with their tourist agency and 23% book online in the internet.
Tendencies show that for the next 2 to 3 years the duration of the vacations abroad will be between 2 and 3 weeks. Visits to the cities, wellness places and cruising are the sectors with the greatest increase. The biggest demand is for tailor made vacation packages and for reservations via internet.
Mr. Skordas, manager of the Greek National Tourism Organization in Vienna declared: Despite the difficulties of passed year we wait for an increase of 4%. The prices in Greece will remain constants and in a lot of cases decreased up to 5%

Possibly more than 30% increase of Russian tourists to Greece

20/03/2010 Easytraveller Leave a comment Travel News

The inauguration of one of the biggest and most important word tourism exhibitions, the MITT in the Moscow, where Greece was the honored country, was made by the undersecretary of Culture and Tourism Mrs. Angela Gerekou , with representatives of Russian Federal government and representatives of Municipality of Moscow. Present were journalists of television networks and specialized tourist magazines.
In her greeting she pointed out: For us, the Greeks, the tourism is not an activity of secondary importance, but is one from the main axes of our economy. As a new government we change the way, that the state faces the subject of tourism. We aim we make Greece, a destination for all the time and not only for the summer months. Greece has to offer not only the seas and the sun but also her cultural heritage as the New Acropolis Museum, and also cruises, religious tourism and alternative tourism.

You are all invited, in the country of search and dream, in the country the light and the harmony, in the country of art and beauty, in the country of Hospitality. Greece is ready and waits for you. The tourism in Greece, is an activity which, not only has not been influenced by the economic problem, but on the contrary, becomes still more competitive and still more attractive. More simply speaking, the prices have been in the lower possible levels, while the quality of tourist services, remains high.
The messages from the first reservations from the tourist market of Russia, allow us to be optimistic .The sings show that there will be an increase of tourist movement to Greece, which can reach or even exceed the 30%, given that the hotel prices for this year are the same as last year.

Regarding the visa for the Russian tourists we are working in order to facilitate the procedures and I hope that soon we will be issuing visas for six months or more.