20.9.2011 by HoisseBig.

01 Sep 2011 / 09:05
Romania Dreams of Highways to the Future>

In a country where horse and cart remains the preferred form of transport for some, a European-style motorway network remains a distant fantasy.

16 Aug 2011 / 11:29
Romania Plays Nature Card to Attract Tourists

Forget beaches and big hotels. Romania is trying to turn its vast unspoiled countryside into the next big thing in tourism – but the figures show it has a way to go.

08 Aug 2011 / 13:16

All Eyes on EU’s Roma Framework

In the wake of last year’s expulsions from France, the EU’s Roma framework has promised to take a tougher line on monitoring member states’ efforts to integrate marginalised minorities. Not everyone is convinced.

20 Sep 2011 / 09:28
Romania Mulls Buying US Jets With Neighbours

Unable to afford new fighter jets on its own, cash-strapped Romania is hoping to share the purchase with NATO allies Bulgaria and Croatia.

Geschrieben in Economy - Wirtschaft | Keine Kommentare »

20.9.2011 by HoisseBig.

Turkish tourists opt for Greek isles

19/09/2011

Tourism offers the opportunity for longtime political rivals to explore each other’s countries.

By HK Tzanis for Southeast European Times in Athens — 19/09/11

Symi island, Dodecanese island chain, eastern Aegean. [HK Tzanis]

It’s a sight that a few generations ago would have turned heads on Greek islands, yet fast forward to 2011 and the spectacle of little red Turkish flags on luxury yachts anchored in the harbour of picturesque Symi isle is as ubiquitous as the ouzo and grilled octopus served at local seaside tavernas.

A burgeoning middle class in neighbouring Turkey and the proximity of Greece’s numerous eastern Aegean islands have created a lucrative market for Greek tourism operators, with Thessaloniki and Athens also figuring into the picture.

With 561,198 official entries of Turkish nationals to Greece in 2010, the foremost obstacle in multiplying that number remains the Schengen visa for Turkish passport holders, something acknowledged by Greek officials and bemoaned by tourism entrepreneurs.

“The visa is the number one problem, Schengen makes multiple entries difficult; the solution is to accelerate visa procedures for the Schengen visa at Greek consulates,” according to Stavros Daliakas, a top aide to Greek tourism Deputy Minister Giorgos Nikitiadis.

Daliakas said that although the ministry is satisfied with Greek consulates’ speed in issuing tourism visas in Turkey, “we’re nevertheless always trying speed this [process] up, with the assistance of the foreign ministry.”

Nikitiadis headed to the well-known southern Turkish resort of Antalya on Thursday (September 15th) as head of a delegation of tourism professionals and sector representatives of three of the main islands (Rhodes, Kos and tiny Symi), vying for increased tourism arrivals from Turkey and third country nationals, especially Russians, vacationing in Turkish resorts.

According to Aris Soulounias, a hotel owner on Rhodes and spokesman of the Rhodes Hoteliers’ Association, one tangible action promoted by the Greek side is the establishment of two visa centres, one located between Antalya and Fethiye, and the other in Bodrum.

“Besides Turks, there are numerous Russian vacationers in the Antalya region, more than two million every year, and many want to visit Rhodes and other isles in so-called combined [destination] tourism packages,” Soulounias said.

“Turkey has an increasing middle class that now numbers into the millions, is well-off and has a tremendous dynamism,” Soulounias added.

Back in Symi, where sun-drenched turn-of-the century neoclassic buildings amphitheatrically overlook the tiny harbor, one local tourism professional touched on what’s “common knowledge” regarding the bevy of Turkish-flagged mega-yachts and pleasure craft often anchored in the local marina.
………………

Setimes

Kommentar: vor 30 Jahren hatten die Dodekan Inseln Sonder Regeln, wo man von der Tuerkei auch ohne Pass, direkt in die griechischen Inseln reisen konnte. zu erwaehnen sei Kastellorizon und sehr kleine griechische Inseln direkt vor der tuerkischen Kueste, wo der Yacht Tourismus boomt.

Die südlichste und östlichste griechische Insel Kastelorizo, hat in Wirklichkeit Null Probleme mit den Türken. Ohne Formalitäten können seit 30 Jahren Yachten und Ausflugs Boote ohne Problem zwischen dem Türkischen Hafen Kas, direkt auch Kastelorizon anlaufen, wo es eine nette Atmosphäre gibt. Leider wurden auf beiden Seiten im 2 WK, durch die Engländer die gesamten Ansiedlungen und Häuser zerbombt.

einige Häuser auf der Süd Seite wurden nun wieder aufgebaut, als Ferien Wohnungen.

Man streitet also mal wieder nur um sich wichtig zu machen und für Nichts. Ein Felsen wie lächerlich.

Friday, November 6, 2009
STARTS THE “NEW COMPROMISE” GREECE - TURKEY

Alternate Greek FM in Vienna

Vienna (ANA-MPA/D. Dimitrakoudis) — The Greek government’s intention to make use of the Greek initiative for a direct channel of communication between the leaders of Greece and Turkey was stressed by alternate foreign minister Dimitris Droutsas on Friday in Vienna, ahead of his meeting with Austrian federal president Dr. Heinz Fischer.

Droutsas also said that the government will reply to a letter addressed by Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to his Greek counterpart George Papandreou in the next few days, in statements to ANA-MPA.

The alternate minister said that a responsible attitude was required by all sides and by everyone “because haste makes waste”. Good preparation was necessary so that “the opportunity opening up before us will not be wasted”.

Droutsas further noted the meeting n Athens on Thursday between visiting Turkish minister of state and chief negotiator for the EU Egemen Bagis and prime minister Papandreou, during which Bagis briefed Papandreou on “Mr. Erdogan’s desire to accept prime minister George Papandreou’s call”.

He said that Thursday’s meeting had been “useful” in view of the “crucial decisions on Turkey’s accession course” in December when the EU will review Anara’s progress in meeting EU requirements. “Greece clearly supports Turkey’s European prospect. It equally clearly stressed that there will be no ‘discounts’ in the evaluation of Turkey,” he added.

On foreign policy, Droutsas noted that the government has, from the beginning, declared that it wants to change page in the way foreign policy is exercised. “We want aggressive diplomacy, active political initiatives, but this does not alter the fundamental targets we week, the fundamental principles and values we serve,” he explained.

Droutsas said that he was in Vienna “to take the next step in the Greek government’s policy”, taking the opportunity of the event being organised by Greece’s Chairmanship-in-Office (CiO) of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) marking the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall………………

More see: www.ana.gr

Geschrieben in Kultur - Sport | 1 Kommentar »