[IMG=20349-6106]At the beginning of July experts registered a sales slowdown for continental Greece. Some of the explain the current tendency by outflow of tourists to the Greek islands (it is curious that the same situation is in Italy). Thus, Anna Levasheva, the Head of the Greek Department of Bureau South Cross, said: ‘at the moment Crete is in high demand with Russian tourists’. Others believe that tourists prefer competing ‘non-island’ destinations, which are sold at more attractive prices at present. ‘Probably, cheap prices for tours to Turkey – a week tour costs $ 200-300 – provoke drop in demand for Greece’, commented Inna Kutepova, General Director of Ambotis Tours. On the contrary, tour packages to Greece have increased in price by around 20% owing growth of in-country services cost. Thus, according to Russian tour operators, the cheapest offer is a three-day tour with accommodation in a 3* hotel in Chalkidiki for 590 Euro.
Meanwhile, air traffic volume to the Northern Greece is growing. Comparing to May 2006 it has increased by 800 seats – 150 of them are consolidated by Labyrinth and Ambotis, others – by Mouzenidis. Nevertheless, travel market players still feel optimistic. ‘we cancelled several flights in May in June; if necessary we will take the same measure in July. The more the flights the easier it is to make changes within the flight programs’, explained Boris Fulov, Commercial Director of Mouzenidis.
