Germans Flocking to Greek Islands for 2018 Vacations

The island of Crete is the second-most popular island destination for German tourists after Majorca according to a survey by a leading German online platform.

Pre-bookings for 2018 analyzed by Check 24 reveal that five of the 10 most-popular European islands for holidays in the summer of 2018 are Greek.

The most popular Greek island is Crete, with an impressive share of 17.2 percent in European holiday island bookings for this year.

Rhodes follows in fifth place (seven percent), Kos in sixth (6.2 percent) and Corfu with Paxos in eighth (2.8 percent share).

Kos offers exceptional value for money, as compared to last year, as it is cheaper by two percent unlike all other islands where prices are rising.

The largest rise in prices on a Greek island is recorded in Corfu and Paxos and stands at plus-18.4 percent compared to last year.

Majorca remains the most popular island for the Germans with a 32.3 percent share of all bookings for island destinations, despite seeing a six-percent-rise in prices from 2017.
(information from http://www.tornosnews.gr)

“Greece-A365-Day Destination” video wins another award at Berlin International Tourism Fair (video)

The multi-awarded winning video “Greece-A365-Day Destination” received yet another distinction after it was awarded the second world destination prize and the first prize in Europe at the Golden City Gate festival of tourist films in Berlin, in the framework of the ITB International Tourism Fair, where our Greece is attending with a with a GNTO stand.

The film “Greece- A365-Day Destination” was created by GNTO, directed by Antonis Theocharis-Kioukas, for the promotion of Greece as a world-renowned destination 365 days a year.

The 3-minute 36-second video immerses the viewer into the beautiful imagery, colours, and sounds of Greece.
This is the third award in a row award that the GNTO has received in the past six months.

 In 2017, it was voted by the United Nations World Tourism Organisation as the top video for tourist destination for Europe destination among 23 European countries, while it also picked up the second prize for the World Tourism Organisation’s Video Competition in Chengdu, China.

It also received a special prize in the category “Tourist film up to 7 minutes” at the 6th International Festival of Tourist Films in Zagreb, Croatia, “ZagrebTourFilmFestival”, where he was selected among 48 entries from competing countries.

(source:protothema)

Greece 10th force in tourism globally, OECD report says

Greece is the 10th largest global force regarding tourism among OECD countries, according to an OECD report titled “Tourism Trends and Policies 2018″.

The reports revealed that 28 million tourists arrived in Greece in 2016, 7.5% more than 2015. Overnight stays amounted to 193.4 million, 2.9% more than in 2015, while the number of cruise passengers remained steady at 5.1 million.

According to the report, the gross added value of tourism in Greece in 2016 amounted to 9.6 billion euros, representing 6.4% of the national gross value added and supporting 366.000 jobs, ie 1 in 10 jobs in Greece.

In terms of direct contribution of tourism to the each country’s gross domestic product (GDP), the rate in Greece exceeded the average OECD average (4.2%), while its contribution to employment in Greece is projected to reach 10%, which is the fourth best performance in all countries, after Iceland, Spain and Ireland, with an average of 7%.

The hospitality industry provided work to 365,892 employees, the food sector 72,238 positions, the transport sector 261,484, in the rental of vehicles 3,921 and in the tourist offices and the travel booking industry 20,872.

The budget of the Ministry of Tourism in 2016 amounted to 49 million euros, of which 26 million derived from the regular budget (EUR 10 million from state resources) for promotional activities and 13 million from European co-financing for infrastructure, innovation, projects, skills and support by media.

(source:protothema)

Easter cookies (koulouria)

By: Ioanna Stamoulou | 26.03.2018 | Desserts, Greek Classics, Mediterranean Cooking

These traditional Easter cookies (koulouria) are amazing and addictive. Most Greek houses bake their own koulouria during the Easter holidays but the recipe is slightly different from home to home. Very flavorful, airy and crunchy, they are perfect for your coffee or tea break! Enjoy!

Serves: almost 80 cookies Prep. time: 40′ Cooks in: 45′ Ready in: 1:25′

Ingredients
2 Kgr all purpose flour
40g baking powder
700 g good quality butter, in room temperature
400 granulated sugar
8 eggs
16 g mahleb (or mahlab)
1 tsp mastic crushed with 1 tsp sugar
4 oranges, zested
1 cup milk
2 egg yolks beaten with 1-2 tbsp milk, for brushing the cookies
sesame seeds for sprinkling the cookies (optionally)

Method

Step 1
Preheat oven at 180oC/fan. In a large bowl sift flour and baking powder.

Step 2
In the bowl of your stand mixer beat butter with sugar until white and fluffy. Add eggs gradually, waiting to incorporate before adding the next one. Then add mahleb, crushed mastic and orange zest waiting to incorporate. Stop the mixer.

Step 3
Stir in flour and milk, alternating the two ingredients, and mix with your hands until you get a nice, smooth, elastic dough.

Step 4
Line two shallow baking dishes with non-stick baking parchment. Knead in braids or just bring together the two ends to form round cookies with a hole in the middle. Transfer on the dishes. Make sure you leave some space between the cookies.

Step 5
Brush cookies with beaten egg and sesame seed. Bake until nicely colored. Continue with the remaining dough. Cool on wire rack and store in metal box.

Five Greek Nature Initiatives Vying for Natura 2000 Award – Vote Now!

Five Greek nature conservation projects have been shortlisted by the European Commission in the running for the 2018 European Natura 2000 Award.

The Greek Society for the Study and Protection of the Monk Seal (MOm), the Callisto NGO based in Kastoria dedicated to the protection of the brown bear, a cross-border partnership to bring the lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni) back to Bulgaria where it is currently considered extinct, Life-Stymfalia project aiming to safeguard one of the most important wetlands in the Mediterranean, and the joint conservation effort to save the migratory Egyptian Vulture are competing for the Natura 2000 Award, which recognizes initiatives working to ensure the long-term survival of Europe’s most valuable and threatened species and habitats.


Greece is among 25 finalists from Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxemburg, Poland, Portugal, Spain and the UK – selected out of 75 applications from across the EU.

The centerpiece of the EU’s nature and biodiversity policy, the Nature 2000 Network consists of over 27,000 sites which cover almost a fifth of Europe’s land area and a significant part of the surrounding seas, making it the world’s largest coordinated network of conservation areas.

An independent jury will assess the finalists in five categories – Conservation, Socio-Economic Benefits, Communication, Reconciling Interests/Perceptions, and Cross-Border Cooperation and Networking.

The Natura 2000 Award winner will be announced on May 17, in Brussels.

In the meantime, voting is open to the public until April 22, for the winner of the European Citizens’ Award.

Photos: http://natura2000award-application.eu

source:GTP

Greece awarded as ‘top destination with best beaches’ at Moscow International Tourism Fair

Greece was awarded as top destination with the best beaches in Europe by the Moscow International Tourism Fair (MITT) in Russia.

Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura, head of the Greek mission, participated in the official opening ceremony of MITT and received the award from the organisers.

In the context of the exhibition, Kountoura gave a press conference to Russian and international media on Greece’s national tourism and promotion strategy, which is focused on turning the country into a world-renowned tourist destination throughout the year. She referred to the high performance of Greek tourism, the steady rise in the arrivals of Russian tourists, the dynamic emergence of new Greek destinations and thematic tourism packages offered by Greece, as well as bilateral cooperation in the context of the 2017-2018 Greek-Russian Tourism Year.

 Source: thegreekobserver

February ... a step closer to Summer in Crete, Greece

https://www.plakiassuites.com/

Greece is the 6th most popular destination for Germans

Greece is the 6th most popular tourist destination for Germans in Europe for 2017, according to Greece’s Gfk survey on trends in German tourism, which was presented by the Foundation for Future Questions of the German Institute of for Future Themes.

According to the survey data, collected from a sample 3,000 people over the age of 14 in December 2017 and January 2018, the share of German travelers who chose Greece as their main holiday destination in 2017 rose from 2.8% to 3.1%, marking a 10-year record – in 2007 the corresponding figure was 3%.

So far, 2% of German travelers say they intend to visit our country in 2018. 

Spain is undoubtedly the winner, according to the survey, with one in seven German tourists having their major holiday in the Balearic Islands, the Canaries, and the Spanish mainland in 2017.

The percentages of the 3 most popular destinations for the Germans (Spain, Italy and Austria) appear to have slightly fallen in 2016, while Greece, France, the Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg) and Scandinavia have all gaining a piece of the market in 2017.

Turkey, 4th place, is one of the biggest losers among the most popular destinations, from 4.4% in 2016 to 3.6% in 2016.

February 9: International Greek Language Day

After years of campaigning by academics, educators and Greeks of the diaspora, Feb. 9 has officially been declared International Greek Language Day.

Starting in 2018, the day is expected to spark off initiatives to help spread Greek language and culture worldwide.

Greek has a long and well-documented history — the longest of any Indo-European language — spanning 34 centuries.

It holds an important place in the history of the Western world and Christianity; the canon of ancient Greek literature includes works such as the epic poems of the Iliad and the Odyssey.

Greek is also the foundational language of Western science, especially astronomy, mathematics, logic, and philosophy, such as the Platonic dialogues and the works of Aristotle.

The New Testament of the Christian Bible was written in Koine Greek.

Together with the Latin texts and traditions of the Roman world, the study of ancient Greek writings and society constitutes the discipline of Classics.

13 million speakers

Keeping that Roman link, it was the Greeks of Italy who were the first to propose an international day for the Greek language.

The Athens government eventually adopted the proposal and the plenary session of the Greek parliament unanimously accepted and institutionalized it.

The specific date coincides with the Commemoration Day of Greece’s national poet, Dionysios Solomos, whose lengthy poetic composition To Freedom makes up the lyrics of the Greek national anthem.

In the modern world, the Greek language has not been restricted by borders. Countless Greek words enrich other languages, culminating in the international medical terminology in which about 80 percent of the scientific terms have a Greek root.

As the official language of two EU member states, Greece and Cyprus, it is one of the 24 official languages of the European Union and by a rough estimate, is currently spoken by nearly 13.2 million people in Greece, Cyprus and the Greek diaspora around the world.
Source: greekreporter

Record arrivals from Belgium to Greece for 2017

Based on current data, Greece is the second most popular summer destination in the Belgian market.

 

Tourist arrivals in Greece from Belgium in 2017 broke the 10-year record. 

According to figures, for the first time, the number of visitors from the northwest European country exceeded 509,000.

In fact, Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura, who visited Brussels and met with officials from the Belgian tourism market, announced that the 2018 bookings were already on an upward trend.

Based on current data, Greece is the second most popular summer destination in the Belgian market.

During her visit, Mrs Kountoura inaugurated the Greek National Tourism Organisation (EOT) stand at the Salon de Vacances exhibition in Brussels.

In the framework of the exhibition, she met with the heads of tourist groups, on issues such as the strengthening of the tourist flow, the launch of new direct flights and the promotion of Greek destinations to the public of Belgium.

From 2019, there will be a direct flight of the TUI group from Belgium to the island, while direct flights will also be available from Brussels to Kavala, and there will be seven new direct flights from Belgium to Kalamata, Chania, Kos, Mykonos, Santorini, Thessaloniki, Zakynthos in collaboration with the Thomas Cook Group and the Brussels Airways.

The Phaistos Disc reveals its secrets

The Phaistos Disc, probably dating back to the 17th century, gradually reveals its secrets.

The linguist Dr. Gareth Owens, who has been living in Crete for the past 30 years (25 working in the Technical University of Crete and the last 10 as Erasmus + coordinator), has devoted his research to decipher the disc.

In fact, in collaboration with Professor John Coleman, professor of phonetics at Oxford, he has managed to decipher the disc in a 99 percentage.

“We are reading the Phaistos disc with the vocal values of Linear B and with the help of comparative linguistics, ie comparing with other relative languages from the Indo-European language family.

Reading something, however, does not mean understanding,” Owens said in an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency on the occasion of his speech to the National Research Foundation on Wednesday, February 7.

“The Disc of Phaistos is written in the Minoan script that records the Minoan language.

 This is the best sample of ‘Cretan hieroglyphics’, always in quotes, because it is not the writing system of ancient Egypt.

The name is wrong. The scripts of the Phaistos Disc is also Minoan Linear A,” he added.

Moreover, he noted that the sound syllables from the disc have been recorded “because I want people to hear them. Minoan is not a dead language. Knossos, Phaistos, Crete are Minoan words, as well as many still used today.”
Source: thegreekobserver