Galery

2

1

Why Greek hotels keep higher prices for Greek nationals than for foreigners?

The hotels have contracts with travel agencies in the country and abroad. They have their own terms and policies. The hotels offer the tour agencies certain prices for particular types of rooms for a period. When the tour agency has not “sold” the number of rooms agreed with the hotel, it has to lower their price on the market. In some cases, it can even offer the rooms at a price lower than agreed, and thus lose some money, just to be able to meet the obligations to the hotel. The principle is if we lose money, let lose as less as possible.  
 
Unfortunately, Greeks, as a whole, always prefer to travel in the busiest months of the summer - between July 20 and August 15. This is the period of hardest work and highest demand. In these cases there is no difference in prices for Greeks or for foreigners. If the Greeks, however, change their thinking and learn to make reservations six months earlier, like the German tourists, they will be able to pay much lower prices than those in the last minute. This also applies to the Greek tourist agencies – they can offer better prices to the Greek citizens, but only in earlier periods. In other words, if there is a difference in the prices for Greek and foreign tourists, it depends on when the booking was made, not what nationality is the tourist.

What do you think are the advantages of Greece as a tourist destination and why the Greeks go on vacation in foreign countries?  

Greece definitely has a strong positions in the historical and cultural tourism. It is also known for its delicious dishes. Wherever you go in Greece you can enjoy delicious food, gastronomy here is a tribute. If you come on holiday here you must try the seafood and local wines. Everything is beautiful, only curiosity is what drives the Greek tourist to travel.

Do you think that private and public sectors should cooperate more closely in the field of tourism and will it be in contradiction with the rules of the free market?

I believe that private and public sectors should align their actions to a greater extent so as to  achieve better results in the tourist sector as a whole. Moreover, the travel agencies should start to help more and become more loyal to each other, so as to create a healthy competitive environment. The Greek Tourist Association launched an initiative of acts to establish more affordable prices of the services aiming to make the Greek tourist agencies a single force on the international tourist market. The goal is to give greater importance to the quality of tourist services and, figuratively speaking, to become a strong chain, which can not be broken.

How do you see the development of tourism in the next five years, which many economists foresee will be particularly difficult for Greece?

True professionals that offer the most competitive and quality services will remain in the industry. I firmly believe that something good and better always comes from a crisis. I am sure that tourism in general will reach a higher level and this will have positive impact on the whole of Greece.