The new legislation, along with the barrage of new, fast ferry vessels that have entered the Greek fleet, opens a new era for Greece`s coastal shipping sector.
Instead of a free-for-all embarkation, ferry lines must organize like airlines as of January 1. According to a recent Greek Presidential Decree, every passenger boarding a ferry must go through a check-in procedure and be documented with name, age and gender. And this information must be forwarded before any ferry can weigh anchor from any port.
The new legislation, along with the barrage of new, fast ferry vessels that have entered the Greek fleet, opens a new era for Greece`s coastal shipping sector. This new era certainly will change the way Greeks plan travel, says Michalis Sakellis, sales and marketing manager for Strintzis Lines, with last-minute bookings being carried out by the minority, not the majority of travelers.
And in order to get the most out of the new system, Greek ferry lines have updated their computer booking systems and some lines are ready to offer travel agents a hefty commission (up to 17% on some routes). Some lines are also pushing credit card sales.
The ferry line Strintzis, for example, has signed agreements with credit card companies and will issue its own credit card whereby local travel agency clients can pay for tickets in six interest-free installments. As well, Strintzis pays all commission fees leaving no such costs for the travel agent.
The card system will also allow customers to phone an agent for tickets and pay by phone via his credit card.
Vicky is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the Editor-in Chief. She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.
She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.
