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Great B2B opportunities with Hosted Buyers at Philoxenia
Travel agencies and tour operators from Europe, Australia, Middle East, South Africa are seeking for prosperous cooperations with travel agencies from Greece, participating at this year’s Philoxenia (16-10 November 2006, Thessaloniki) in the Hosted Buyer Programme.

Greek tourism entities and corporations will have the opportunity to expand their operations and to come even closer with the big markets around the world promoting the Greek tourism product.

In this year’s Philoxenia professionals of the trade tourism industry from Italy, Austria, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom, Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, India, South Africa, Australia, Syria e.t.c will participate in the Hosted Buyer Program, who through their corporations send thousands of tourists in Greece each year and thus playing a vital role in Greece`s economical growth.

Among this year’s buyers are Mr. Nikos Zafeiropoulos, General Manager and Owner of Delfi SRL / Favola Tours in Italy. Mr. Zafeiropoulos brings approximately 2000 people each year in Greece and specifically in the regions of Peloponnesus, Corfu, Crete and Santorini. The Rdk- Toursitik GmbH of Mr. Rolf-Dieter Kauferstein represents the German market and brings 800 to 1000 people to Greece for specialized cruises.

Great is also the number of the tourists who visit Greece from Great Britain through Gullivers Travel Associates – UK as Mr. Euagelos Panagopoulos, Contracts Manager reports. Gullivers brought about 20,000 people in Greece both groups and individuals tourists from November 2005 to September 2006. Gullivers reported 4,567 overnights in Kalambaka, 4,828 overnights in Delfi, 4,174 in Heraklion, Crete, 3,710 in Rhodes and 2,802 in Hania while it is planning to include other destinations within Greece in its program such as Hpeirus, Macedonia (Thessaloniki, Halkidiki) and Thrace. According to Mr. Panagopoulos there is a great interest for winter destinations such as Ioannina, Metsovo, Arahova, Kavala and Samothrace for those who are interested in religious tourism.

Furthermore, as Mr. Stelios Tsorlinis of the Hellas Reisen GesmbH based in Vienna says, there is a great interest for the Greek market from Austria. This year 3,183 of its clients has visited Greece either by private car or by bus.

The fast growing market of Russia will give a strong presence in Philoxenia and Ms. Svetlana Kourkovich from Inna Tour based in Moscow expects a 35% increase in tourism business in Greece. During 2006 Inna Tour brought approximately 5,500 people in Greece, with the 2,500 in Crete, 1,200 in Athens, 990 in Rhodes, 210 in Corfu and the rest 600 in Haldikidiki, Loutraki and Santorini.

The Hosted Buyer Program is co-organized by Travel Media Applications, parent company of TravelDailyNews International and Helexpo the organizer of Philoxenia. Theodore Koumelis - Tuesday, October 24, 2006