According to a report in the Cretan newspaper Patris, tour operators are offering fewer packages for the island. Major operators, such as Thomson which brings thousands of Britons to the isle each year, claim demand for Crete is low. Local tourism entrepreneurs say Thomson has shrunk its Crete tour programme for 2001 by 30 percent.
The newspaper stated that tourism traffic on Crete is expected to fall by 15 percent this year, neighbouring Turkey and Crete will be swimming in tourists. It went on to report that the island`s chief problem is a lack of modern infrastructure. Cretan travel agent association chairman Manolis Papakaliatis pointed to the fact that at Iraklio airport, travellers often wait up to three hours to collect their luggage.
Local businesses are relying on last-minute bookings, when prices drop by 10-30 percent.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
