The delay is due to a feigned attempt at maintaining the balance between Greece and Turkey

Washington’s concern over upsetting Turkey and jeopardizing Sweden’s NATO membership appears to have drawn the Greek F-35 issue into the mix, delaying the official congressional notification, Kathimerini understands, until after the Vilnius Summit in July.

The delay in the planned procedure is thought to be due to a last-ditch effort to maintain the balance between Greece and Turkey, and not to any misgivings or second thoughts on the part of the US. 

This balance in fact, no longer exists, as everyone in the American capital acknowledges.

In the months-long efforts by the US to resolve the complex issue whereby Turkey linked the Sweden issues to its acquisition of American F-16s, the view which eventually prevailed was that if Greece takes one step closer to getting the F-35s, any attempt to persuade Turkey to ratify Sweden’s membership risks blowing up. The risk is high, according to the US government, and Athens has been put on hold, despite the fact that the chairs of the Senate and House Foreign Relations and International Affairs Committees, respectively, have made all four required signatures, which is the biggest obstacle to any international arms sale. 

When the Republican vice chairman of the relevant Senate committee, Jim Reese, was putting the final signature to the document in early June, congressional sources told Kathimerini that formal notice would be a matter of hours or a week at most, in a process that is practically automatically launched, they underscored. It should be noted that when Congress approved a limited package for the sale of upgrading systems to Turkey in April, the notification was issued on the same day.

As it turns out, however, the linkage of the two proposed sales to Greece and Turkey, which was devised and initiated months ago by a certain member of the White House National Security Council, continues to produce problematic developments even today. The contentious decision to submit the F-35 and F-16 requests to Congress on the same day so that they are either passed or frozen together did not work, as lawmakers recognized the covert blackmail and responded by granting the Greek request while freezing the Turkish one.

It now appears that Washington has no solid plan for dealing with Turkey in general, or with Sweden’s membership in particular, and is merely hoping for a shift in Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s attitude, even if it comes at the last minute. 

Source: ekathimerini.com

Anti-Americanism in Greece seems to be on the wane, as a recent Pew Institute survey in 23 countries showed that 56% of Greeks have a positive view of the United States.

The lowest percentage was recorded in 2014, with only 34% of respondents in Greece having a positive view of the US.

Anti-Americanism is gradually declining for another reason, as younger Greeks, in the 18-39 age group, value American entertainment (movies, music, TV) more than those over 40, at 84% vs 62%. 

US President Joe Biden received low confidence ratings from respondents in Greece, with 56% saying they do not trust his handling of affairs, and 43% expressing confidence in the White House. High levels of distrust toward Washington were also recorded in Italy, Spain, France, Mexico, Argentina and Hungary.

Like Greeks, the majority of citizens of NATO member-states do not have much confidence in Biden. 

Respondents in most of the countries surveyed expressed misgivings about whether the US takes into account the interests of other countries in its geopolitical decisions. In Greece, 66% of respondents believe that the US does not care about the interests of countries other than itself, with this figure reaching 80% in Spain and Hungary. Last year, 53% of survey participants in Greece thought that the US takes into account the interests of other countries in its decisions.

An overwhelming majority of respondents in Greece (93%) – and in another 22 countries – believe that the US interferes in the internal affairs of other countries. 

Greeks are more moderate in their view of whether the US contributes to peace and stability in the world, with 58% of respondents believing it doesn’t and 42% believing that it does. 

Source: ekathimerini.com

It is the second time Kefalogianni is assuming the tourism ministry

The goal of the new government is to see the Greek tourism industry becoming ‘strong, competitive and sustainable,” noted the new Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni, speaking at the ministry handover ceremony on Tuesday, with outgoing Tourism Minister Ioanna Dretta.

Speaking of the ministry’s key policies alongside the new Deputy Minister Elena Rapti, Kefalogianni mentioned respecting the environment and elevating the tourism product beyond seasonal restrictions and trends: “We want tourism 12 months per year,” she pointed out. Green sustainability, commercial viability, and short-term leases are more areas of interest too, she added.

Source: tornosnews.gr

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will meet on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Vilnius next month, Mitsotakis’ office said on Monday, a day after he won a national election.

Mitsotakis was sworn in for a second term as prime minister on Monday following a resounding election win.
Ergodan, who was elected to his third term last month, congratulated Mitsotakis in a phone call, the Turkish Presidency said on Monday.

He said the two re-elected governments create an opportunity for bilateral relations between the neighboring countries.

Source: ekathimerini.com

Welcome to the Cyclades, an enchanting archipelago consisting of about 220 islands nestled in the heart of the Aegean Sea. This collection is a geographic puzzle, with islands varying in size, topography, and personality, all arranged in an almost circular pattern, thus giving the group its name from the Greek word “kyklos,” meaning circle.

Each island seems to offer its distinct flavor. Mykonos, often referred to as the life of the party, is known for its vibrant nightlife and buzzing beach bars, a stark contrast to the tranquil and lesser-known island of Sikinos, a haven for those seeking a slower pace and undisturbed landscapes.

In the middle of this Aegean wonder lies Delos, the mythological birthplace of Apollo and Artemis, teeming with archaeological treasures, while Naxos, the largest of the Cyclades, boasts lush green valleys and the highest mountain in the region, Mount Zas.

Consider the captivating Santorini, with its radiant whitewashed homes and blue-domed churches, perched dramatically on the edge of a colossal caldera. This iconic panorama, a tribute to the island’s natural and architectural beauty, never fails to leave a lasting impression.

The Cyclades is indeed a diverse collection, each island a different piece of the puzzle, together creating a region that offers a multitude of experiences, from the tranquil to the exhilarating, the ancient to the modern, and the earthy to the ethereal. Each island, undeniably unique, awaits to tell its part of the Cycladic story.

Source: travel.gr

Kyriakos Mitsotakis was sworn in as prime minister for a second term on Monday afternoon, after his party achieved a big win on Sunday’s general elections. 

The swearing-in ceremony was held at the Presidential Palace, in the presence of the President, Katerina Sakellaropoulou and Archbishop Ieronymos. Mitsotakis then walked to the Maximos Mansion, the official seat of the prime minister, where he met with outgoing caretaker premier Ioannis Sarmas, to officially begin his new term.

Mitsotakis thanked Sarmas and the cabinet of the caretaker government for its “exemplary operation” during its short tenure, while Sarmas wished him success in his renewed term.

Source: ekathimerini.com

Five Senses announced the unveiling of Mykonos Smart Signs, a collaboration with the Municipality of Mykonos, Mykonos Port Authority, SkyMaps, and WISIE.

The initiative is set to elevate the guest experience and redefine how cruise passengers explore the Greek island destination of Mykonos, explains Ioannis Bras, CEO of Five Senses who developed Mykonos Smart Signs – a series of ten signs located along the route from the new port to the old town.

Interactive signs

The interactive and informative signs, combined with advanced QR and NFC (near field communication) technology supporting five languages, transcend traditional boundaries by immersing the passengers in the authentic ambience of the destination, says Bras.

Each sign provides different information depending on its location with map and information about gastronomy, culture, history and local products.

Guest experience

According to Mayor Konstantinos Koukas, ‘Mykonos is a treasure trove of hidden wonders, captivating experiences, and vibrant local culture. The Mykonos Smart Signs Project will serve as the gateway to discovering the many facets of our island, offering an unparalleled guest experience.’

Dimitris Manesis, chairman of Mykonos Port Authority believes Mykonos Smart Signs will inspire visitors to delve deeper into Mykonos.

Once the information is scanned it remains on visiotrs’ mobile devices without the need to scan again.

Bras commented: ‘It creates a state of mind, immersing passengers in the beauty of Mykonos and guiding them to its hidden treasures. With the integration of features like the ‘You Are Here’ tags and the QR/NFC stamps, we are confident that the Mykonos Smart Signs Project will leave a lasting impression and create unforgettable memories for all who visit.’

Source: seatrade-cruise.com

Athens was ranked 8th in the world ranking for conference tourism for 2022, according to the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), climbing a total of eight places from 2019, ANA reports.

Therefore, the Greek capital is now included in the top 10 of the world’s most attractive destinations for events and meetings. The announcement was made in the context of the IMEX Frankfurt trade show.

Based on data from the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), Athens hosted a total of 109 international conferences attended by 40,000 visitors, leaving the city with revenues of 87 million euros.

“Athens’ 8th position in global conference tourism is the recognition of a great effort made over the last years by the Municipality of Athens to strengthen the destination in this demanding sector. Through the municipality’s activities, Athens is dynamically presented in international markets, claims, and wins conferences, significantly strengthening the local economy. The figures published by the International Congress and Convention Association are indicative of the magnitude of this distinction, which can only make us proud,” the Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, said in a statement.

Source: tornosnews.gr/en

Strengthening the relations between Brazil and Mykonos following the visit of the new Brazilian Ambassador

A framework of actions aimed at further promoting and strengthening the relationship between Mykonos and Brazil was discussed during the meeting between the new Brazilian Ambassador in the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Roberto Abdala, the Deputy Regional Governor of Culture of the South Aegean Region, Mr. Stelios Briggos, and the Ambassador Mykonos Promo, Mr. Constantinos Skagias.

The new Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil in the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Roberto Abdala, visited Mykonos from 14th to 16th of June, 2023, upon the invitation of Deputy Regional Governor Mr. Briggos. He was guided through Delos and visited cultural heritage sites on the island of Mykonos. Expressing his enthusiasm for the island and its hospitality, the Ambassador proposed the production of a cultural documentary that would be broadcasted on a tv channel specializing in promoting culture in Brazil, with also extensive coverage in the Brazilian magazines.

Furthermore, during the meeting, the possibility of cooperation in promoting Mykonos in Brazil was discussed, as well as the potential for strengthening relations with tour operators in Brazil and the participation of the South Aegean Region in the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) of Latin America, which will take place in São Paulo in April 2024.

Regarding the visit, Mr. Stelios Briggos, Deputy Regional Governor of Culture of the South Aegean Region, stated: “The visit of the Ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil in the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Abdala, to Mykonos took place within the framework of further cultivating good relations between Brazil and the islands of the South Aegean. We were particularly pleased that the Ambassador was impressed with the hospitality and the region. During our meeting, we discussed the longstanding relations between Greece and Brazil, as well as the particularly friendly relations between Mykonos and the Latin American country, and explored further actions to enhance our presence in the Brazilian market. We are in contact to implement what we have discussed.”

Mr. Briggos also mentioned that Brazil is an emerging tourism market for Mykonos, with visitor numbers showing a slight increase in 2022 compared to 2019, which marked the highest increase in Brazilian visitors to the island. He emphasized that Brazil was the “only market that was closed for two consecutive years due to the pandemic COVID-19. Since its reopening in 2022, there has been noticeable demand from Brazilians for the islands of Mykonos.”

It is worth mentioning that the opening of the South Aegean Region to the outbound Brazilian tourism market began dynamically in 2018 with the organization of the first tourism workshop titled “Mykonos Approach” in collaboration with the Embassy of Greece in Brazil and the Federation of Commerce, Services, and Tourism of Santa Catarina. In the workshop, which was held with the participation of more than 20 tour operators and stakeholders from Brazil, the Mykonos – Santorini – Aegean Islands Promo team, led by Ambassador Mykonos Promo, Mr. Skagias, was present. They provided information about the islands of the South Aegean, emphasizing their traditions, gastronomy, history, and the luxury services available in each destination. Subsequently, in April 2019, the twinning of the South Aegean Region with Santa Catarina, Brazil, took place, and initiatives for cooperation in culture and tourism between the two regions were launched.

Doug Lansky, a specialist in sustainable tourism, spoke on the global state of the sector as part of the “Reimagine Tourism in Greece” summit held by Kathimerini. Among the topics he covered were air travel, single-use plastics, eco-tourism and water management.

“Climate change is the challenge of our lifetime, but also that of the next generation. The existing lifestyle is hard to change but we can do something”, he noted.

“While we want eco-tourism, we don’t exactly know what it is”, he commented and stated that is not just about the investments made but the utilization of existing solutions. He pointed to several solutions that are either underutilized or not utilized at all, illustrating his point with several videos.

Source: ekathimerini.com

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has spearheaded a law that made his state the first in the U.S. to effectively ban book bans.

Illinos Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed the measure into law Monday. As the Chicago Sun-Times report, the law “will block state grant funding to public libraries and schools that don’t adhere to the American Library Association’s Library Bill of Rights, a set of rules that says reading materials shouldn’t be removed or restricted due to ‘partisan or personal disapproval.’

Book bans have been all the rage in several conservative-led states, such as Florida, where Ron DeSantis, a candidate for the Republican nomination for the presidency is governor.

Started as a movement to keep certain books related to gender identity from being read by very young school kids, the book bans have expanded way beyond that, removing books by acclaimed authors, such as Toni Morrison, who deal with racial relations.

Per the Sun-Times, “the American Library Association said there were 1,269 demands to censor library books and resources in 2022, the highest number of attempted book bans since they began tracking data more than 20 years ago.”

“To me, this is a slippery slope, and it goes against what education is about. The purpose of education is to teach children to think for themselves,” Giannoulias is quoted as saying. “We thought instead of being reactive to book bans, being reactive to this assault on our democracy, we said let’s be proactive. And if you’re going to ban books, you’re not going to get state grants.”

Giannoulias, 47, who also served as Illinois Treasurer from 2007-11 before launching an unsuccessful campaign for the Senate in 2010, has been busy writing and pushing for important legislation since he took office last January 9. The fact that the governor is a Democrat and that the party enjoys a supermajority in both state chambers will be of great help in enacting the agenda.

Some of the other bills include a ban on “Zoom(ing), watch(ing) or stream(ing) videos or access(ing) social media sites while driving; a bill limiting the use of automatic license plate readers to protect those coming into Illinois for abortion care; a bill authorizing Giannoulias’ office to negotiate with e-book and audiobook publishers to acquire digital prices at lower prices; and a measure making it illegal for police to stop motorists for items hanging from their rearview mirror, such as air fresheners,” the Sun-Times report. A further bill will make it easier for 16- and 17-year-olds to preregister to vote, so they can exercise that right once they turn 18.

The son of Greek immigrants – his late father was from the village of Kalavryta, in the Peloponnese, and his mother from Cretan town of Chania – Giannoulias was a basketball player in his youth. He played professionally for Greek club Panionios in 1998-99.

Source: ekathimerini.com

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Which Greek hotels are on the list of the top in Europe.

TripAdvisor, after analysing 12 months of review data from verified travellers covering more than 1.5 million hotels worldwide, has announced the world’s best hotels for 2023 in 10 categories.

In detail, in the category of the top 25 hotels in the world for 2023, the Ikos Dassia hotel in Corfu was in 8th place and the Ikos Aria in Kos was in 15th place.

The hotel that won 1st place in the top hotel category is Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, India. Dubbed ‘The Jewel of Jaipur’, this 1835 luxury palace hotel oozes opulence beyond belief. As the new top winner for 2023, Rambagh Palace has over 5,000 5-star reviews and is favored for its polo bar, historic sites, and high tea. Note that from the Sani/Ikos hotel group, Ikos Andalusia also received significant accolades in Spain in various categories. Among other things, it also took 1st place in the category of the best family hotels in the world.

In the European list of the top 25 hotels in Europe, Ikos Dassia ranked 3rd, Ikos Aria ranked 6th, and Ikos Olivia in Halkidiki ranked 11th.

The top 25 hotels in Greece in order of ranking as recorded by TripAdvisor are as follows:

1. Ikos Dassia, Corfu

2. Ikos Aria, Kos

3.Ikos Olivia, Halkidiki

4. Ikos Oceania, Halkidiki

5. Palladium Boutique Hotel, Mykonos

6. Nana Princess Suites, Villas & Spa, Crete

7. Sani Dunes, Chalkidiki

8.Amazon Mykonos Resort & Spa, Mykonos

9. Atrium Platinum Luxury Resort Hotel & Spa, Rhodes

10. Atrium Prestige Thalasso Spa Resort & Villas, Rhodes

11. Elite Suites by Rhodes Bay, Rhodes

12. Regina Dell Acqua Resort, Kefalonia

13. Lindos Blu Luxury Hotel & Suites, Rhodes

14. Porto Sani, Halkidiki

15. Saint Andrea Seaside Resort, Paros

16. Sani Asterias, Halkidiki

17. Melrose Hotel Rethymno, Crete

18. Kantouni Beach Hotel, Kalymnos

19.Asterion Suites & Spa – Designed For Adults, Crete

20.Anax Resort & Spa

21. Ahtis Hotel, Halkidiki

22. Andronikos Hotel, Mykonos

23. Bourtzi Hotel, Skiathos

24.Boutique 5 Hotel & Spa, Rhodes

25. Mykonos Grand Hotel & Resort, Mykonos

In the All-Inclusive category with the 25 best hotels in the world, Ikos Dassia ranked 2nd, Ikos Aria ranked 6th, Ikos Olivia ranked 12th and Ikos Oceania ranked 16th. In the corresponding European list of the 25 best All-Inclusive hotels, Ikos Dassia ranked 1st, Ikos Aria ranked 5th, Ikos Olivia ranked 6th, Ikos Oceania ranked 7th, Cactus Royal Spa & Resort in Crete ranked 14th position and Porto Bello Royal in Kos in 19th position.

Source: en.protothema.gr

Those who are free and open-minded about sex and new romantic experiences are more likely to cheat

Recent research dispels the stereotype that men are aroused by visual stimuli, while revealing who is more prone to adultery. See the latest data on the love behaviour of men and women.

Three factors that excite women

Research on 662 women highlighted the three main factors that stimulate a woman’s sexual desire: intimacy (the feeling of deep affection and closeness), self-existence (being able to see herself as a separate entity and not one shared with her partner) and the affirmation (feeling desired by her partner);

Women and men are equally visual types

The theory that men are more visual types than women when it comes to sex has been debunked by research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. An analysis of 60 studies, using magnetic resonance imaging, showed that gender had no effect on how men’s and women’s brains reacted to watching erotic films.

One in four women experienced pain during last intercourse

A study of over 2,000 women, published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, showed that nearly a quarter of them experienced physical pain during their last sexual intercourse. Of these, 49% did not tell their partner about the painful experience, while the odds of concealing the fact from their partner were three times higher among women who had little or no pleasure from the intercourse.

Vaginal dryness and atrophy begins in perimenopause

According to research on Menopause, during perimenopause, the period before menopause (ages 40-55), hormonal changes cause thinning of the vaginal folds and dryness of the lining, a condition called vaginal atrophy, resulting in vaginal dryness.

“Open-minded” more prone to adultery

Those who are free and open-minded about sex and new romantic experiences are more likely to cheat, according to research in Personality and Individual Differences. However, this “liberated spirit” is associated with greater fantasy and extroversion in sex.

Sexual desire builds gradually

The key for couples looking to improve their sex lives is to build sexual desire day by day, according to research published in the Archives of Sexual Desire. A small flirtatious hint, for example, about what will follow the next day, is a first step.

Source: en.protothema.gr

Ten years ago, the world ushered in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The global Covid-19 pandemic helped turbocharge it and now Europe’s post-pandemic recovery program has put innovation and digital transformation at the heart of our economic future.

In Greece, that transformation remains a work in progress. Although the country has made remarkable strides in becoming a regional hub for innovation, many Greek businesses remain behind the curve in adopting next-generation technologies.

In Greece, that transformation remains a work in progress. On the one hand, the country has made remarkable strides in becoming a regional hub for innovation, mostly through foreign investment. On the other hand, many businesses operating in Greece remain behind the curve in adopting next generation technologies.

How can Greece do better?

Digital transformation means harnessing new technology to innovate the way a business operates from the ground up. And that means using everything from Big Data to robotics, AI, the Internet of Things, cloud computing and machine learning, to fundamentally restructure business models.

Leading Greek companies are investing in innovation, but in sectors where smaller companies dominate digital transformation is lagging. And one of the constraints that Greek companies, large and small, face is the dearth of skilled talent: Eurostat data shows Greece has the lowest ratio of ICT workers in Europe.

So far, the Greek government has done an admirable job of jumpstarting Greece’s innovation ecosystem. In the last few years, Greece has witnessed a revolution in everything from startups to data centers, from 5G networks to online government services. Just in the past few weeks, Greece hosted Europe’s leading business conference for angel investors and welcomed yet another tech giant, Hewlett Packard, to its shores with plans for a new R&D hub.

The government’s recovery and resilience plan – Greece 2.0, which will be two years old this month – focusses on innovation. Almost a quarter of the total 30.5 billion-euro plan is set aside for digital transformation. Most of that, more than €2.5 billion, is earmarked for the digital transformation of the public sector, skills training, and digital investment in the education and health systems. Another €375 million will support the digitalization of businesses.

There’s no question that Greece’s efforts to promote innovation through skills, programs and infrastructure have increased the digital gravity of the country, positioning it well as a regional tech hub of the future. But as the latest European Investment Bank report on the digitalization in Europe notes, the transition is more than just adopting new technology: “The digital transformation is a societal change.”

That is why the upcoming 6th InvestGR Forum will bring together business leaders and policy makers to discuss the role of innovation and digital investment in the economic future of the country. And to take that discussion to the next level. Because Greece is ready to open a new chapter, both as an innovation hub with global reach and in the transformation of its economy.

Source: ekathimerini.com

Which Greek hotels are on the list of the top in Europe.

TripAdvisor, after analysing 12 months of review data from verified travellers covering more than 1.5 million hotels worldwide, has announced the world’s best hotels for 2023 in 10 categories.

In detail, in the category of the top 25 hotels in the world for 2023, the Ikos Dassia hotel in Corfu was in 8th place and the Ikos Aria in Kos was in 15th place.

The hotel that won 1st place in the top hotel category is Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, India. Dubbed ‘The Jewel of Jaipur’, this 1835 luxury palace hotel oozes opulence beyond belief. As the new top winner for 2023, Rambagh Palace has over 5,000 5-star reviews and is favored for its polo bar, historic sites, and high tea. Note that from the Sani/Ikos hotel group, Ikos Andalusia also received significant accolades in Spain in various categories. Among other things, it also took 1st place in the category of the best family hotels in the world.

In the European list of the top 25 hotels in Europe, Ikos Dassia ranked 3rd, Ikos Aria ranked 6th, and Ikos Olivia in Halkidiki ranked 11th.

The top 25 hotels in Greece in order of ranking as recorded by TripAdvisor are as follows:

1. Ikos Dassia, Corfu

2. Because Aria, Kos

3.Ikos Olivia, Halkidiki

4. Ikos Oceania, Halkidiki

5. Palladium Boutique Hotel, Mykonos

6. Nana Princess Suites, Villas & Spa, Crete

7. Sani Dunes, Chalkidiki

8.Amazon Mykonos Resort & Spa, Mykonos

9. Atrium Platinum Luxury Resort Hotel & Spa, Rhodes

10. Atrium Prestige Thalasso Spa Resort & Villas, Rhodes

11. Elite Suites by Rhodes Bay, Rhodes

12. Regina Dell Acqua Resort, Kefalonia

13. Lindos Blu Luxury Hotel & Suites, Rhodes

14. Porto Sani, Halkidiki

15. Saint Andrea Seaside Resort, Paros

16. Sani Asterias, Halkidiki

17. Melrose Hotel Rethymno, Crete

18. Kantouni Beach Hotel, Kalymnos

19.Asterion Suites & Spa – Designed For Adults, Crete

20.Anax Resort & Spa

21. Ahtis Hotel, Halkidiki

22. Andronikos Hotel, Mykonos

23. Bourtzi Hotel, Skiathos

24.Boutique 5 Hotel & Spa, Rhodes

25. Mykonos Grand Hotel & Resort, Mykonos

In the All-Inclusive category with the 25 best hotels in the world, Ikos Dassia ranked 2nd, Ikos Aria ranked 6th, Ikos Olivia ranked 12th and Ikos Oceania ranked 16th. In the corresponding European list of the 25 best All-Inclusive hotels, Ikos Dassia ranked 1st, Ikos Aria ranked 5th, Ikos Olivia ranked 6th, Ikos Oceania ranked 7th, Cactus Royal Spa & Resort in Crete ranked 14th position and Porto Bello Royal in Kos in 19th position.

Source: protothema.gr

The first Mandarin Oriental hotel in Athens will be built on the coastal front of the Hellinikon project, Lamda Development announced on Tuesday.

The agreement was signed by Belt Riviera SA – a company established by Temes SA and Hellinikon SMSA –  with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group.  

Apart from a five-star hotel with 123 rooms and suites scheduled to open in the summer of 2027, the agreement includes plans for 17 luxury branded residences on the so-called Athens riviera near the Agios Kosmas marina, overlooking the Saronic Gulf.

Commenting, Lamda Development CEO Odisseas Athanasiou noted that “this new high-standard hotel complex will become another aesthetically superior landmark and serve as an additional international point of reference for this emblematic investment of The Ellinikon.”

Mandarin Oriental Athens will be the Group’s second property to launch in Greece, following its Costa Navarino investment.

Source: amna.gr

Dress to impress: let our stylists help you shine during your stay in Mykonos.
All of our services are designed to help you relax, recharge and feel your best during your holiday.

Visit the link in our bio to book or find out more.

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Santanna Mykonos opening Thursday 18th May! Don’t miss out on the ultimate summer experience. Stay tuned for this season’s party calendar. Coming soon.

BeachClubOpening #Summer2023 #SantAnnaMykonos #MykonosIsland #summerloading #placestobe

Whether you’re living in Athens or just visiting for a few days, it’s well worth venturing beyond the frenetic pace of the city centre to discover greener pastures. From the north side of the city and charming verdant suburbs like Kifissia, to the National Garden near Syntagma square and the new Experience Park in Elliniko, there is always a way to enjoy the outdoors in scenic and peaceful areas.

Bring along good company and a sense of adventure, a willingness to explore and an appetite for long walks (you’ll need it when you reach some of the impressively expansive areas we list here) and essential supplies to make the most of your time.

The Experience Park, Elliniko
Just off the Athenian Riviera, the city’s newest green meeting point and Europe’s largest coastal park is the perfect place for leisurely walks, outdoor gatherings and children’s activities in its large, green spaces.
From “walls” of fountains that are particularly refreshing on a hot summer’s day and impressive to watch at night to its 55,000 plants and 500 trees, this impressive space near Elliniko metro station is ideal for an early morning walk or some post-work rebalancing.

more at travel.gr

Source: en.protothema.gr

The Greek economy is expected to continue growing at rates above the eurozone and European Union average from 2022 until 2024, according to the Spring 2023 Economic Forecast released by the European Commission on Monday.
The Commission has forecast Greek economic growth rates of 5.9 pct in 2022, 2.4 pct in 2023 and 1.9 pct in 2024.
For the eurozone as a whole, the Commission forecasts average growth rates of 3.5 pct in 2022, 1.1 pct in 2023 and 1.6 pct in 2024, while the forecasts for the whole of the EU are for growth rates of 3.5 pct in 2022, 1 pct in 2023 and 1.7 pct in 2024. 

Source: amna.gr

See you on the beach!

SOLYMAR is open.

solymarmykonos.com

Solymar #mykonosinallsenses

smell #taste #see #hear #touch

A total of 617 beaches in Greece were awarded the prestigious Blue Flag award for 2023, putting the country in second place in the world, according to data released on Wednesday.

The number of “Blue Flags” now found in Greece surpasses, for the first time, 600, with Greece retaining 15 percent of the distinctions for best-rated beaches.

The Greek section of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) says that the Halkidiki peninsula in northern Greece, renowned for its golden sand and turquoise waters, swept most of the awards with 94. Attica, Crete, and Rhodes follow, according to greekreporter.com.

A map with all the locations in Greece and elsewhere awarded this year is available at www.blueflag.global. Attica, the prefecture of greater Athens, boasts 18 Blue Flag beaches. They are:

Brexiza, Nea Makri
Schinias/Karavi
Diastavrosi
Limni
Avlaki
Lavreotiki
1st Limanaki Daskaleio Kerateas/Solo Pino
Lagonissi 1-Grand Beach/ Grand Resort Lagonissi
Lagonissi 2-Mediterraneo/Grand Resort Lagonissi
Lagonissi 3-Kohilia/ Grand Resort Lagonissi
Mavro Lithari/EverEden Beach
Astir Beach Vouliagmeni
Varkiza
Voula A
Vouliagmeni
Glyfada A
Glyfada B
Agia Marina, Aegina

The Greek beaches are famed across the world for their clear bathing waters and their great diversity.

The Greek shoreline of the Aegean Archipelago, and the Ionian and Cretan Seas can suit all tastes. You will find small beaches and long stretches of sand, pebble beaches and sea caves hewn into steep rocks, beaches with white or pink sand, as well as black sand ones created by volcanic soils.

Stringent criteria are needed to qualify for a Blue Flag
The emblematic Blue Flag is one of the world’s most recognized voluntary eco-labels awarded to beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators.

In order to qualify for the blue flag, a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria must be met and maintained.

Certificates, which the FEE refers to as awards, are issued on an annual basis to beaches and marinas of FEE member countries.

The Blue Flag was founded in France in 1985, as a pilot scheme from the Office of the Foundation for Environmental Education in Europe where French coastal municipalities were awarded the Blue Flag on the basis of criteria covering sewage treatment and bathing water quality.

1987 was the “European Year of the Environment,” and the European Commission was responsible for developing the European Community activities of that year.

FEEE presented the concept of the Blue Flag to the commission, and it was agreed that it would launch the Blue Flag program as one of several “European Year of the Environment” activities in the Community.

Source: tornosnews.gr

The World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) 2023 Economic Impact Research (EIR) today shows the Travel & Tourism sector is closing in on its 2019 peak, recovering by more than 95%. 

In 2023, the sector is forecast to reach $9.5TN, just 5% below 2019 pre-pandemic levels when travel was at its highest. 34 countries have already exceeded 2019 levels. 

According to the research conducted by WTTC in collaboration with Oxford Economics, the global tourism body also forecasts that the sector will recover to 95% of the 2019 job level.  

A look back on last year 

Last year, despite the economic and geopolitical difficulties, the Travel & Tourism sector’s recovery continued at pace, growing 22% year-on-year to reach $7.7TN.  

This recovery represented 7.6% of the global economy in 2022, the highest sector contribution since 2019, although its global GDP is still 22.9% behind its 2019 peak. 

In 2021 the global sector grew 24.7% year-on-year, and last year it grew a further 22% to reach a GDP contribution of $7.7TN. 

The research shows that the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and prolonged travel restrictions imposed by a number of countries such as China had a significant impact on the global recovery. 

But the recent decision by the Chinese government to reopen its borders from January will propel the sector and see it recover to pre-pandemic levels next year. 

From a pre-pandemic high of more than 334MN, the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged employment in the sector which saw losses of more than 70MN to bring the total number employed in 2020 to just 264MN. 

Following the recovery of 11MN jobs in 2021, the sector created 21.6MN new jobs in 2022 to reach more than 295MN globally – one in 11 jobs worldwide. 

Spending from overseas visitors grew by a record 82% to reach $1.1TN in 2022, showing that international travel is firmly back on track.  

Julia Simpson, WTTC President & CEO, said: “The Travel & Tourism sector continues to recover at pace, demonstrating the resilience of the sector and the enduring desire to travel. 

“By the end of the year, the sector’s contribution will be within touching distance of the 2019 peak. We expect 2024 to exceed 2019. Travel & Tourism will be a growth sector over the next ten years. 

“The recovery will speed up this year as Chinese travelers re-enter the market. 

“Travel & Tourism provides 300 million jobs worldwide.” 

What does the next decade look like? 

The global tourism body is forecasting that the sector will grow its GDP contribution to $15.5TN by 2033 representing 11.6% of the global economy and will employ 430MN people around the world, with almost 12% of the working population employed in the sector.  

The latest EIR also reveals that 34 of the 185 countries analyzed in the EIR have now recovered to pre-pandemic levels in terms of GDP contribution.  

WTTC forecasts that by the end of 2023, nearly half of the 185 countries will have either fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels or be within 95% of full recovery. 

Source: tornosnews.gr

The Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) collected the Best Booth Content award at the 38th Seoul International Travel Fair (SITIF), held on May 4-7, it was reported on Monday.

The award was presented to GNTO for its novel and creative marketing campaign, highlighting yet again Greece’s prominent position in the global tourism industry.

At the fair, GNTO welcomed thousands of Koreans interested in all popular Greek destinations, from the Greek islands to the picturesque mountains and the religious sites, such as Meteora or the Paths of Saint Paul.

Many K-Pop music producers and journalists that visited the Greek Pavilion expressed their excitement about Greece and the potential collaborations in the tourism industry.

Source: ekathimerini.com

The importance of public education in social mobility and progress, looking back on the story of his parents who left a very small village in Greece for the US, was highlighted by the US Ambassador to Greece, George Tsunis, during a discussion at the annual Delphi Forum.

The US ambassador said that diversity, integration, equal accessibility are “a key priority for any enlightened society and that education is a basic human right” and must be equal and not exclude anyone. He cited studies that show that education is a cornerstone for socio-economic progress, pointing out the need to ensure equal opportunities for all in life.

“That is part of our ethos,” he said and identified as important the need to “bring all our children to school” and provide the opportunity to achieve their best.

Source: ekathimerini.com

Based on final data by the Bank of Greece, the balance of travel services in 2022 posted a surplus of €15,751.5 million, up by 67.7% from a surplus of €9,390.2 million in 2021. This development was due to a stronger increase in travel receipts (up by €7,173.5 million or 68.3%) than in travel payments (up by €812.1 million or 73.0% – Chart 1). Higher travel receipts in 2022 compared with 2021 were driven by a 96.0% increase in the number of non‑resident inbound travellers, as well as by a rise in average expenditure per overnight stay by €1.8 or 2.2% (2022: €80.3, 2021: €78.5 – Table 1).

In greater detail, average expenditure per trip decreased by 14.1% (2022: €591.7, 2021: €688.9) as the average length of stay dropped by 16.0% to stand at 7.4 overnight stays (2021: 8.8 nights). Total overnight stays (Table 5) in 2022 increased by 64.7% to €220,213.1 thousand (2021: 133,734.9 thousand nights).

Travel receipts

Travel receipts in 2022 totalled €17,676.2 million, up by 68.3% compared with 2021. This development was driven by a 47.2% increase in receipts from residents of the EU27, which came to €10,005.6 million and accounted for 56.6% of total travel receipts, and by a 105.4% rise in receipts from non-EU27 residents to €7,251.9 million (Table 2 and Chart 2).

In more detail, receipts from euro area residents increased by 45.2% year‑on‑year to €8,038.7 million, while receipts from residents of non-euro area EU27 countries increased by 55.9% to €1,966.9 million.

Among major countries of origin, receipts from Germany rose by 40.6% to €3,255.8 million and receipts from France grew by 28.8% to €1,277.0 million. Turning to non‑EU27 countries, receipts from the United Kingdom rose by 113.3% to €3,127.1 million, while receipts from the United States increased by 101.3%% to €1,200.2 million. Receipts from Russia decreased by 63.9% to €41.4 million.

Travel receipts by trip purpose

Looking at the breakdown of non‑residents’ expenditure in Greece by trip purpose, trips for personal reasons represented the bulk of total travel receipts in 2022, with a share of 94.6%, from 95.7% in 2021, while the corresponding receipts increased by 66.4%. Within this category, leisure accounted for the largest share of total receipts (2022: 85.3%, 2021: 87.6%), with the corresponding receipts increasing by 63.8% year‑on‑year to €15,070.1 million. Trips for the purpose of visiting family, with a share of 6.1% in total receipts, up from last year’s 5.8%, showed a rise of 77.2% in corresponding receipts. Receipts from trips for health purposes also grew, by 173.2% to €61.7 million. Lastly, receipts from business trips rose by 111.9% and their share in total receipts increased (2022: 5.4%, 2021: 4.3% – Table 3 and Chart 3).

Inbound traveller flows

As already mentioned, the number of inbound travellers in 2022 rose by 96.0% to 29,875.8 thousand, from 15,246.1 thousand in 2021. Specifically, traveller flows through airports increased by 81.5% and traveller flows through road border‑crossing points rose by 133.1%. Travellers from within the EU27 accounted for 56.9% of the total number of travellers, while travellers from outside the EU27 accounted for 36.3%. In 2022, the number of travellers from within the EU27 increased by 67.9% compared with 2021. This development is attributed to a rise in the number of travellers from euro-area countries by 57.2% to 11,567.0 thousand, as well as to an increase in the number of travellers from non‑euro area EU27 countries by 96.4% to 5,427.9 thousand. Travellers from non‑EU27 countries grew by 136.6% to 10,840.7 thousand.

In particular, the number of travellers from Germany increased by 45.0% to 4,352.3 thousand and that from France by 49.6% to 1,757.6 thousand. Turning to non‑EU27 countries, the number of travellers from the United Kingdom increased by 181.9% to €4,485.3 thousand. The number of travellers from the United States rose by 174.9% and stood at 1,088.7 thousand, while the number of travellers from Russia decreased by 69.8% and stood at 36.1 thousand. 

Overnight stays

In 2022, the number of overnight stays in Greece totalled 220,213.1 thousand, up by 64.7% from 133,734.9 thousand in 2021. This was driven by a 49.5% rise in nights spent by EU27 residents, as well as by a 98.9% increase in nights spent by non‑EU27 residents. The rise in overnight stays by EU27 residents is attributed to increases of 46.7% in nights spent by euro-area residents and by 60.2% in nights spent by non-euro-area EU27 residents. The number of overnight stays rose by 43.4% for German residents and by 31.1% for French residents. Turning to non‑EU27 countries, the number of overnight stays increased by 132.2% for UK residents and by 116.3% for US residents, while overnight stays for residents of Russia dropped by 70.7% (Table 5 and Chart 5).

Cruises

Since 2012, the Bank of Greece conducts a Cruise Survey in order to enrich the data collected through its Border Survey. Following a standardised methodology, detailed cruise data for 2022 were collected at 16 Greek ports, covering 84.0% of all cruise ship arrivals in Greece.

The year under review saw 4,598 cruise ship arrivals (2021: 2,074) and 4,493.6 thousand cruise passenger visits (2021: 1,538.8 thousand – Table 7). According to the Cruise Survey, 88.5% of all cruise passengers were transit visitors, with an average of 2.1 stopovers at Greek ports of call, compared with 2.6 stopovers in 2021.

Total receipts from cruise passengers in 2022 rose by 145.7% year‑on‑year to €493.4 million. Of this amount, €74.7 million were already captured in the Border Survey data, as they represent receipts from travellers leaving the country through Greek last ports, while the remaining €418.7 million concern additional receipts data recorded by the Cruise Survey.

Chart 7 shows a breakdown of cruise receipts by port. The port of Piraeus ranks first with a share of 43.7% in total cruise receipts, followed by the port of Santorini and the port of Heraklion with 10.0% and 8.4%, respectively. The seven most important cruise ship ports account for 88.4% of total cruise receipts and 81.9% of total cruise passenger visits.

Total overnight stays ashore rose by 47.3% year‑on‑year to 4,253.4 thousand in 2022, with a positive impact on cruise receipts. The total number of cruise passengers also rose year‑on‑year, by 269.1% to an estimated 2,162.1 thousand.

Balance of travel services by region

As suggested by the Border Survey, travel receipts in 2022 amounted to €17,257.4 million. Five regions accounted for the bulk (88.9%) of total receipts, namely: the South Aegean (4,706.8 million), Crete (3,660.8 million), Attica (2,849.2 million), the Ionian Islands (2,607.7 million) and Central Macedonia (1,511.0 million). The remaining regions (the Peloponnese, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Epirus, Thessaly, Western Greece, Central Greece, the North Aegean and Western Macedonia) together accounted for €1,921.9 million.

Visits to Greece (all 13 regions combined) in 2022 totalled 31,366.7 thousand. The number of visits exceeds the number of inbound travellers (29,875.8 thousand travellers), as travellers may visit more than one region in the course of one trip.

The five most popular regional destinations, accounting for 83.5% of total visits, were: the South Aegean (6,695.6 thousand nights), Attica (5,623.9 thousand), Central Macedonia (5,568.2 thousand), Crete (5,113.5 thousand) and the Ionian Islands (3,176.3 thousand). The remaining regions (Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Epirus, the Peloponnese, Thessaly, Western Greece, Central Greece, the North Aegean and Western Macedonia) together accounted for 5,189.2 thousand visits.

The number of overnight stays in Greece in the period under review totalled 216,948.9 thousand. According to the breakdown into the 13 regions, five regions accounted for 85.9% of total overnight stays, namely: the South Aegean (51,370.6 thousand nights), Crete (41,890.5 thousand), Attica (35,135.4 thousand), Central Macedonia (33,925.6 thousand) and the Ionian Islands (24,025.8 thousand). The remaining regions (the Peloponnese, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Thessaly, Epirus, Western Greece, Central Greece, the North Aegean and Western Macedonia) together accounted for 30,601.1 thousand overnight stays.

In comparison with 2019, the last year before the pandemic

Compared with 2019, in 2022 travel receipts fell by 2.8% and travel payments by 29.9%, while the travel surplus increased by €316.6 million.

In greater detail, the average expenditure per trip rose by 10.7% (2022: €591.7, 2019: €534.6) and the average expenditure by overnight stay by 4.4% (2022: €80.3, 2019: €76.9), while the average length of stay grew by 6.0% (2022: 7.4 nights, 2019: 7.0 nights). The number of overnight stays decreased by 6.9% in 2022 compared with 2019 (2022: 220,213.1 thousand nights, 2019: 236,547.4 thousand nights), while inbound traveller flows dropped by 12.1%.

Travel for leisure in 2022 decreased by 5.1% against 2019, while receipts from business trips increased by 6.1% (2022: €950.0 million, 2019: €895.0 million).

Lastly, total receipts from cruise passengers declined by 11.2% in 2022 compared with 2019.

Source: tornosnews.gr

The year 2023 is on track to be better than 2022 for tourism, the president of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) Yiannis Retsos stressed in an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA).

He pointed out that this increase in the country’s tourism figures looked set to continue in the years to come, based on international trends.

According to Retsos, there was optimism that revenues from tourism could reach 18.2 billion euros in 2023, surpassing the record revenues in 2019, something that would start to become apparent over the course of the year.

“Greece is capitalizing on the very strong brand it has built during the pandemic,” Retsos said, noting that it was the only Mediterranean country that opened its borders with complete success in 2020, showing that it could handle a serious crisis and becoming an example for other destinations to follow. The reputation for safety that Greece built at that time still follows the tourism sector at present, he said.

A key decision taken at that time, he said, was the decision to open the borders to Americans, making Athens Airport a hub for all of Europe. This led to a vote of confidence from Americans, who “have returned to Greece and will not leave for a long time,” Retsos told ANA.

Asked how Greece can retain its current position as the fifth most recognizable tourism brand worldwide, Retsos noted that tourism activity was cyclical and this must be done with good strategy and organization, now that Greece was going through its peak phase. He said this would need improvements to infrastructure and waste management, with a number of issues that needed “immediate answers” on specific fronts.

He also underlined the importance of up-to-date promotional tools in order to stay ahead of the competition, where he praised the contribution of SETE’s promotional company, Marketing Greece.

On the employment problem that has arisen for the tourist industry, with tourist enterprises struggling to find staff, Retsos said this was a huge problem for tourism and other sectors of the economy, and that the shortage of trained staff could have a serious impact on tourism, which was a service industry.

He blamed the phenomenon partly on the pandemic lockdown, which pushed workers into other areas of the economy, and also on an economic shift that occurred from 2020 onwards when previously stagnant sectors of the economy recovered and attracted staff from the largely seasonal tourism sector.

Other factors, such as poor working conditions, served to worsen the problem, he added, urging inspections sooner to assist address the problem.

Concerning pay, he pointed out that minimum pay in tourism was higher than the general minimum wage, while he said it was important to intensify efforts to provide young workers with training in tourism-related skills and also called for tourism to be permitted to import staff, as in agriculture.

Source: tornosnews.gr

Kensho Ornos is ready to welcome you in Mykonos for an unforettable season. Your escape to the perfect Greek summer starts on April 29th 2023.

Read more here.

Apart from the spiritual dimension of Easter, a prominent factor is the consumption of food, and meat in particular, during the holidays. Eating habits are a personal choice and are determined by a variety of factors, individual and collective, and the Easter holiday specifically is all about bringing people and families together to consume food. The question again this Easter will be whether vegetarians or vegans can coexist with meat-eaters at the same table. For some vegetarians and vegans this may prove difficult, as they note that it is not that the consumption of meat per se that is reprehensible but the horrific way farmed animals live and are killed to get to the table.

Source: ekathimerini.com

The 10 most expensive cities to live in the world in 2022

Source: en.protothema.gr

Who is number one?

Bernard Arnault (74) has been named the world’s richest man of 2023 with an estimated fortune of $211 billion, according to Forbes’ 37th annual billionaires list, released Tuesday. Arnault is the head of the luxury goods giant LVMH, which includes the likes of Louis Vuitton and Dior, and the first Frenchman to top the world ranking after having moved up from third place last year.

Next in line, comes Elon Musk with $180 billion in wealth. The 51-year-old has so far co-founded six companies, from the electric car manufacturer Tesla to the rocket maker SpaceX and also owns Twitter. He is followed in third place by Jeff Bezos (59), the founder of e-commerce giant Amazon, who has racked up some $114 billion worth of wealth, down from a peak of $177 billion in 2021. Bezos stepped down from his role as CEO of Amazon in 2021 to become an executive chairman.

Larry Ellison (78) of Oracle, Warren Buffett (92) of Berkshire Hathaway, Bill Gates (67) of Microsoft, Michael Bloomberg (81) of Bloomberg LP and Carlos Slim Helú (83) of América Móvil, complete the top eight roundup of most wealthy people in the world. While in ninth and tenth place comes India’s richest man and chairman of Reliance Industries Mukesh Ambani (65), followed by U.S. Steve Ballmer (67), the former CEO of Microsoft.

This chart is based on Forbes’ calculations using net worths based on stock prices and exchange rates from March 10, 2023.

You will find more infographics at Statista

Source: en.protothema.gr

A cool $8 million could buy you a mansion in the Midwest, a sprawling three-bedroom condo in New York, or a luxurious house in Los Angeles.

But if you’ve always fantasized about life at sea, $8 million could also buy you your dream home: a condominium aboard a cruise ship.

Storylines is building an 18-deck luxury residential cruise ship lined with 547 residences for 1,000 travelers.

And when the ship is complete and ready to sail in 2025, the 741-foot-long MV Narrative and its passengers will begin indefinitely traveling around the world.

See Also:

Russia accuses Ukraine of use of chemical weapons

Prices for these floating condos start at $1 million for a 237-square-foot studio home.

But this price pales in comparison to the ship’s largest residences that are still available for purchase.

Read more: yahoo

Source: en.protothema.gr

The list of transferable workers from third countries who will be able to come to Greece within 2023 and 2024 in order to fill some of the vacancies identified in the domestic labor market ranges from unskilled agriculture and construction workers, to butchers and workers in dairy production.

As of this year, the “importing” of foreign workers will be allowed in order to cover part of the needs primarily in the tourism sector, as the list includes specialties such as chefs and kitchen assistants, but also porters, gardeners and cleaners.

Overall, of course, the new ministerial decision published on Tuesday concerns only a part of the needs, namely 39%, since despite the 379,165 requests to fill vacant positions that were submitted, the import of only 147,925 workers from third countries was eventually approved, while an additional 20,000 positions will be covered by bilateral agreements with Egypt and Bangladesh.

Therefore, the maximum number of residence permits for third country citizens to work for the years 2023 and 2024 in the country is set at 167,925, close to the corresponding limit set for the two years 2021-2022 (168,632 permits).

With the new ministerial decision, 9,261 workers in the catering and accommodation sectors can be called up (against 2,811 in the previous two years). Of course, the number is significantly lower (11.5%) than the proposals submitted for 80,316 workers. Accordingly, the introduction of 10,338 workers to fill vacant positions in the construction industry was set as a maximum limit.

Transfers will be distributed in sectors where Greeks have not responded to job offers. At the same time, and with the aim of meeting needs, the new joint ministerial decision includes a number of flexibilities, such as the distribution of available positions at the regional level and not at the regional unit level, as was the case until now. Therefore, the phenomenon observed in previous years, with shortages of workers observed in one regional unit and a surplus in a neighboring unit, will be addressed.

Source: ekathimerini.com

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Monday had a working meeting with the executive committee of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) to discuss the current tourism season, ANA reports.

“I believe that we have already met one of our main targets, which is none other than the extension of the tourism period so that Greece is not a destination that our visitors prefer only during the summer months,” he noted.

He stressed that the “revenues of the state budget that derive from tourism have also exceeded the initial targets set by the finance ministry. With the result that we have greater fiscal resilience to support society with a series of targeted measures to address the crisis of the imported hikes in prices”.

The prime minister also referred to the government’s two main priorities, pointing out the first has to do with the sustainability of the tourism product: “It concerns the protection of the environment, the protection of our destinations, especially some iconic destinations that are now under great pressure and we have to start thinking immediately about their future, with interventions that can no longer be delayed.”

The second, he added, had to do with those working in tourism and “with making it possible for all to have the same dividend of success” from the growth of the tourism product. “This has to do with better wages and better working conditions and, of course, with the shortages that are already being observed in terms of the workforce, something that forces us to plan interventions that will have a long-term impact,” Mitsotakis added.

On his part, the president of SETE’s board Yiannis Retsos stressed that by capitalizing on the very good brand name that Greece has developed and which was further enhanced during the COVID-19 crisis and the way that Greek tourism opened in 2020 and continued to operate in the summer of 2021, adopting a very correct strategy and becoming an example for other European countries, the tourism sector achieved “spectacular results”.

Participants in the meeting included Labour and Social Security Minister Kostis Hatzidakis, Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias, State Minister Akis Skertsos, Deputy Finance Minister Apostolos Vesyropoulos, and Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Yiannis Bratakos.

Source: tornosnews.gr

Tourists from the United States, Canada and Mexico throng in Volos

The giant cruise ship “Norwegian Jade” docked at the port of Volos today, a few minutes before 8 am, bringing thousands of tourists to the capital of Magnesia and the harbinger of an excellent tourist season.

The cruise ship, about 300 meters long, sailed to Volos from Piraeus, with 2,500 passengers coming mainly from the United States, Canada and Mexico. Thus, the commercial center of Volos was “flooded” by thousands of travelers visiting the city and the archaeological sites of the region.

In addition to the 2,500 tourists enjoying their cruise in the Aegean, the “Norwegian Jade” also has 1,017 crew members on board. The cruise ship will stay in Volos for 10 hours and will set sail at 6 pm for Istanbul.

Source: in.gr

Prime Minister Mitsotakis will have a working meeting with the executive committee of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) on Monday, at 11:30, at the “Eleftherios Venizelos” International Airport.
At 13:30 he will receive the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, at the Maximos Mansion, while at 17:00 he will meet with the US Senator from Florida Rick Scott.

Source: amna.gr

Virtual and augmented reality technologies are creating new challenges for showcasing the tourism, history, and culture of municipalities throughout the country.

By utilizing the right tools, municipalities can reach a broader, more dynamic audience with higher expectations while tapping into communication and promotional channels that cater to millions of visitors.

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The Municipality of Mykonos aims to capitalize on this opportunity by submitting a funding proposal for the implementation of the “Virtual and Augmented Reality Applications for the Promotion of Mykonos’ Cultural and Tourism Assets” program.

The program of 3 apps to promote ‘Mykonos-Delos’ cultural-tourism assets

The project involves the design, development, and distribution of virtual and augmented reality applications aimed at promoting the cultural and tourism assets of Mykonos and Delos.
Specifically, the project will develop three applications.

Photo: Nikos Kokas

The ancient theatre of Delos/ Photo: Shutterstock

The first augmented reality app, Mykonos AR Augmented Reality, combines real and virtual tours of selected island locations (Cycladic houses with architectural and folklore interest, Kato Myloi, etc.), allowing visitors to enjoy an enhanced guided experience without a tour guide’s assistance.

The second augmented reality app, Mykonos Giants Hunt, includes a digital augmented reality game based on the ancient Greek myth of Hercules exterminating the last of the Titans on Mykonos. Visitors can download the app on their smartphones and step into Hercules’ shoes to hunt and eliminate the giants on the island.

Photo: Unsplash

The third application is a 3D game called Gaming Delos: The Myths, inspired by mythological stories linked to the archaeological findings displayed at the Archaeological Museum of Delos. The game aims to discover significant archaeological findings (e.g., Temple of Apollo, the colossal lions from the Delos Lion Terrace, the marble statue of Artemis, etc.).

The implementation of the project involves the Ephorate of Antiquities of the Cyclades for the drafting of texts for the monuments, archaeological sites, and museums under its jurisdiction, as well as the control of the necessary written, printed, audiovisual, and digital material.

According to the Municipality, the program will offer new e-services and e-content that can be used on both personal computers and tablets or smartphones. It is also expected to increase Mykonos and Delos‘ visitation by attracting younger tourists.

Source: travel.gr

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Greek Deputy Tourism Minister Sofia Zacharaki in an interview with Athens-Macedonian News Agency referred to the strong dynamic which started the tourism season in Greece this year noting that it is a follow-up of 2022 when the performance of tourism exceeded all expectations.

“In 2022 tourism exceeded all expectations reaching, despite the international crises, the revenues of 2019 with the best performance in history in the three of our major markets, (Germany, France, and the UK), she noted.

Zacharaki also referred to January performances noting that the revenues showed a 72 percent hike and the arrivals 86 percent rise in comparison with 2022 underlining that the “scheduled flights to Greece are expected to increase by 15 percent compared with 2019, before the pandemic.

Regarding her estimation for the upcoming general elections, Zacharaki pointed out that the government, having assumed the responsibility for the correction of the long-standing pathogenies of the past in the railways and not only, will continue to produce work until the day of the elections. It will claim the vote of the Greek citizens based on the overall government’s work as well as on its proven effectiveness against the international challenges, many of which are before us.

Source: tornosnews.gr

Want to hit the road without breaking the bank? Kayak, one of the world’s leading travel search engines, shared with Travel + Leisure a list of the cheapest places to travel this year.

To determine the most wallet-friendly destinations, Kayak considered searches for flights from July 2022 through November 2022 for travel in 2023. It then took into account the top 100 most-clicked destinations with the lowest average flight and hotel prices, excluding outliers based on certain criteria such as travel restrictions and security concerns. Prices are on average.

Traveling the world doesn’t have to be out of reach. Take a smart and savvy approach to visit desirable destinations at (relatively) affordable price points.

01of 18

Houston, Texas

As a major travel hub, it’s no surprise Houston tops the list of cheapest places to travel in 2023. Clocking in at $569 for a flight and hotel, Houston doesn’t cost as much to reach as most destinations, and there’s a ton to do. The Houston Museum of Natural Science is a crowd favorite.

02of 18

Toronto, Canada

Toronto is a cool Canadian city to add to your travel plans this year. At $577 on average for a flight and hotel, you can reserve your leftover spending cash for peameal bacon sandwiches from Carousel Bakery (and other irresistible items at St. Lawrence Market) or tickets to the Hockey Hall of Fame. Beautiful High Park, completely free to visit, is another great choice.

03of 18

Denver, Colorado

The Mile High City offers rock-bottom prices, at an average of $593 for a flight and hotel. Whether you’re into hiking, art, or cool city coffee shops, Denver has it all. Catch a performance at the open-air Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre for one of the most memorable concerts of your life.

04of 18

Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta, coming in at $623 for a flight and hotel, has all the big-city perks at lower prices. Given this, you’ll have more spending money for highlights like the Georgia Aquarium or a SkyView Ferris wheel ride with views of Centennial Olympic Park. Learning about local history at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights is also worth adding to your itinerary.

05of 18

Chicago, Illinois

It doesn’t get better than Chicago in the summer, but the Windy City in the winter is pretty fun, too. Spend an afternoon on the Maggie Daley Park Ice Skating Ribbon, then grab a slice of deep-dish pizza from nearby Giordano’s to warm up and refuel. With a $624 average for a flight and hotel, you’ll have some cash remaining to catch a Broadway show or ascend Skydeck Chicago at the top of Willis Tower.

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New York City, New York

New York City isn’t known for being an affordable place to visit, but you can score prices around $625 for a flight and hotel if you play your cards right. With the amount of flights available in and out of New York, it may seem like all roads lead to the Big Apple, but that’s good news for your wallet because there are plenty of routes and hotels to choose from. Want to save even more money? Plan your agenda using T+L’s list of the best free things to do in New York City.

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Dallas, Texas

Heading to Dallas doesn’t have to set you back much more than $630 for a flight and hotel. Go in the winter for the best prices and make sure to catch a home game for the Mavericks (basketball) or the Stars (hockey). The city also boasts great barbecue and tantalizing Tex-Mex at fair prices.

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Orlando, Florida

You can make a trip to Orlando as expensive (think: every Disney park and the nicest hotels) or affordable as you’d like, starting at around $632 for a flight and hotel. And, believe it or not, there are lots of great free things to do in Orlando.

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Washington, D.C.

Visiting our nation’s capital is a must. Expect to spend around $635 for a flight and hotel, and rest assured that many of our country’s best museums and art institutions — from the Museum of Natural History to the National Portrait Gallery — are completely free to visit.

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Portland, Oregon

Set aside about $645 for a flight and hotel if you’re hoping to visit Portland this year. This funky, eco-friendly city in the Pacific Northwest is packed with things to do. Don’t miss the formal Japanese Garden and family-friendly Oregon Zoo in Washington Park. To spread your dollar far, stay in one of the city’s many welcoming hostels.

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Los Angeles, California

Don’t sleep on La La Land this year — a flight and hotel should set you back about $657, and the rest of your trip budget can be spent on trendy restaurants and bars. Or, stroll the Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard or hike to the Hollywood Sign to see the sights without spending another dime.

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San Antonio, Texas

It seems like everything really is bigger in Texas, including your potential savings. Plan to spend about $658 for a flight and hotel, and don’t worry about setting aside too much additional cash because highlights like the San Antonio River Walk and Brackenridge Park are totally free. Don’t leave without exploring the Alamo, either — touring the Alamo Church is also free, but does require a timed entry reservation.

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Las Vegas, Nevada

Sin City may not seem like an affordable place to visit, and expenses can certainly add up quickly when you start booking shows and experiences like Area15. We can’t help what you do in the casino, but at $658, at least your flight and hotel won’t be the major problem. Plus, you can check out some of the free things to do in Las Vegas to keep your budget intact.

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Mexico City, Mexico

At $696 for a flight and hotel, Mexico City is the second-cheapest international destination on our list this year. With awe-inspiring architecture, flavorful cuisine, walkable neighborhoods, and an incredible arts and culture scene, Mexico City is worth a visit while the prices are on the lower end. T+L’s list of the best things to do in Mexico City can serve as a handy guide, too.

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Vancouver, Canada

The beautiful coastal city of Vancouver belongs on your travel wish list this year. Diverse and scenic, this western Canadian gem boasts highlights like Stanley Park, the Vancouver Aquarium, and a thriving art, theater, and music scene. Set aside about $754 for your flight and hotel.

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Montreal, Canada

Another Canadian city makes the list of most affordable places to travel this year, with an average cost of $763 for a flight and hotel. Here, visitors can expect neighborhoods ranging from French colonial to bohemian, as well as can’t-miss institutions like the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal and Jean Talon Market. If you’re into good food, beautiful buildings, and riverside cities, make a stop in Montreal this year.

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Cartagena, Colombia

The boundless energy of colorful Cartagena will refresh even the weariest of travelers, and at $792 for both a flight and hotel, the prices aren’t so bad, either. Highlights of this port city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast include a walled 16th-century Old Town, charming buildings, and picture-perfect beaches to explore.

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San Juan, Puerto Rico

A short flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico, will put you smack-dab in one of America’s most tropical territories. Cobblestoned streets pave the way between Old San Juan’s collection of colorful Spanish colonial buildings, and the nearby Castillo San Felipe del Morro is an impressive site dating back to the 1500s. Still, if you’re more into natural wonders than human-made feats, you can get from the beach to jungle in about 45 minutes. Expect to pay around $832 for a flight and hotel.

Source: travelandleisure.com

Come for the views, stay for the vibes. Who else is excited?

Amid reports of a rise in instances of mob-style violence on the island of Mykonos related to illegal construction and permits, the government has announced its intentions to beef up security and to increase urban planning inspections. 

More specifically, at a meeting convened on Wednesday at the initiative of Prime Minister Kyriaos Mitsotakis, it was decided that in the coming period there will be a gradual strengthening of the police force with an additional 100 officers, while special operations tasks will be implemented.

Also next week state inspectors will be unleashed on the island, starting from the buildings controlled by the employee of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Cyclades who was recently assaulted.

“There cannot be an island where some people consider themselves to be above the law. This situation must be dealt with firmly,” the prime minister said at the beginning of the meeting.

Source: ekathimerini.com

Welcome to our Mykonian village

Kalesma Mykonos invites you to indulge in authentic island hospitality, elevated by unique design, exceptional attention to detail and a gastronomic proposal guaranteed to set your senses alight. Won’t you join us?

The Ministry of Environment is withdrawing the articles on Natura sites and special environmental studies, as well as two regulations on the boundaries of traditional settlements and the “recognition” of roads from its multi-bill which is being put to a vote on Tuesday.

Moreover, a number of new amendments were added, including the suspension of building permits in areas outside town planning on the popular tourist island of Mykonos until the end of the year.

According to government sources, the withdrawal of these articles – as well as the suspension of building permits on Mykonos – was made after an intervention by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Regarding Mykonos, exceptions are the issuance of small-scale permits, projects under the Special Spatial Development Plan of Strategic Investments (ESCHASE) and the revision of building permits (but without a building coefficient increase).

The explanatory memorandum states that the suspension is due to the preparation of a special urban plan on the island.

Critics say that would make sense if a similar argument applied to Santorini and Elafonisos, where urban plans are also being drafted. 

As for the articles that were withdrawn, these include the ones that abolished the obligation for special environmental studies to result in the definition of land use.

According to the explanatory memorandum, this was “decoupling protection zones from the general uses of urban planning.”

Also removed was the article that stipulated existing activities remain as they are and those that have been licensed can be implemented, regardless of whether they impact the integrity of the protected area.

The ones that allowed the zones into which a protected area (e.g. absolute protection, nature protection) would be divided into “sub-zones” were also removed.

The same fate befell those that required the authors of special environmental studies to take into account existing activities, the serving of functions that are inextricably linked to the urban or residential character of areas, specific spatial contexts, as well as “economic, social and cultural requirements, and regional and local specificities.”

All these factors are not related to the protection of species and habitats. 

Source: ekathimerini.com

Greek Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias on Thursday predicted that 2023 will be a very strong year for Greek tourism, ANA reports.

The minister was addressing the 12th Panhellenic Conference of the Association for Professional and Conference Tourism, entitled “Meetings in Greece: The Game Changer”, organized by HAPCO & DES (Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers & Destination Events Specialists).

After pointing out that Greek tourism is the most powerful pillar of the Greek economy and without it, the country would not have growth, he stressed the importance of business and conference tourism, saying it is an important sector that can contribute significantly to tourism revenues.

Responding to the organizers’ requests for the construction of, among other things, a conference center in Athens, Kikilias noted that he has put the proposal to the Greek government, estimating that there will be a positive outcome. Regarding the implementation of a registry of conference events, the minister noted that the digital registry will help in planning the necessary actions to strengthen business-conference tourism.

Source: tornosnews.gr

Half of U.S. respondents disagree with the statement that national news organizations do not intend to mislead, misinform, or persuade the public, according to a new report by Gallup and Knight Foundation. This is in contrast to only 25 percent who hold a more optimistic view.

As our chart shows, when it comes to national news organizations, a fair share of the U.S. public feels skeptical at best. The survey found that only 23 percent of respondents thought national news organizations care about the best interests of their readers, viewers, and listeners, while 35 percent believe they care about the impact their reporting has on society as a whole.

U.S. adults have a slightly more favorable view of local news outlets though, with only 25 percent of respondents disagreeing that local papers and stations do not intend to mislead, misinform, or persuade the public, while 53 percent agreed that local news organizations care about the impact of their reporting on the community. One focus group participant said this is partly due to the fact that local organizations know the area personally and so they are more likely to understand any nuances and to care more about the people the stories impact.

In terms of funding, respondents thought that both kinds of news organizations have the resources and opportunities to report the news accurately and fairly to the public. 72 percent of people agreed with this statement with regard to national news organizations, and 65 percent agreed in terms of local organizations.

You will find more infographics at Statista

Source: en.protothema.gr

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What relevant research shows

The traditional Mediterranean diet, rich in foods such as seafood, vegetables, fruits and nuts, is associated with a reduced risk of dementia, according to research published in the journal BMC Medicine.

According to the research, people with greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet had up to a 23% lower risk of dementia compared to those who consumed Mediterranean foods less often.

Diet may be an important risk factor for dementia and could be targeted for disease prevention and risk reduction, yet previous studies investigating the impact of the Mediterranean diet were usually limited to a small sample and low number of dementia cases. In the present study, the researchers, led by Oliver Shannon from the University of Newcastle, analyzed data from 60,298 people from the UK biomedical database Biobank, who had completed a nutritional assessment.

The genetic risk

The authors also looked at each person’s genetic risk for dementia by estimating polygenic risk, meaning all the different genes associated with dementia risk. In the study, there was no significant interaction between polygenic risk for dementia and adherence to the Mediterranean diet, which the researchers believe may indicate that the association of greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet and reduced risk of dementia remains, independent of individual genetic risk. for dementia. However, they say further research is needed to assess the interaction between diet and genetics on dementia risk.

Also, the researchers caution that their analysis was limited to people who self-identified as white, British or Irish, and that further research is needed in a range of populations to determine the potential benefit.

Source: in.gr

Good news! Say hello to later sunsets…oh how we’ve missed them!

Though winter in NYC is one of the most magical times of the year, the terribly early sunsets make the months of November-February a little tougher for everybody.

From May to early August, we get to enjoy longer and lighter days. Yet, come winter, it can get dark before any of us have even left work. And this year, it seems earlier sunsets crept up on us faster than ever!

Fear not, because we’re sharing the good news that the year’s first 7pm sunset will happen on Monday, March 13th.

Daylight Saving Time will begin on Sunday, March 12, 2023. This will lead to even brighter nights and longer days. Meaning that from March 13th and onward, sunset will not be before 7pm for another six months.https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7206068131628993834

And though sunsets will still be earlier than they are in the summer, at least we can look ahead to more light-filled days through the year.

The sun won’t set before 7pm again until September 2023.

Fun Fact: The longest day of 2023 will occur on June 21 (summer solstice) with a sunset at 8:30pm.

Source: secretnyc.co

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