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While accurate official figures for
this year’s tourism are not yet available, a report from the Institute of
Tourism Research and Forecast shows a 6 percent rate of increase in tourist
arrivals in Greece between 2005 and 2007.
However, the report claims that
interest in time-honoured tourist destinations, including Crete, continues
to decline.
The report claimed that overall
airport arrivals, which are the main source of data, increased by 4.3
percent, compared to 3.4 percent in July, 2007.
While arrivals to mainland Greece
were, like the rest of the country, in a decline before the Olympic Games in
2004, Athens arrivals today represent 50 percent of all arrivals in the
country.
Unfortunately, the post-Olympic
Games tourist surge didn’t spread to most of the islands. By all
indications, both from government agencies, as well as local surveys, Crete
is continually losing interest among serious holiday makers.
On the other hand,
the island seems to be holding its own, or even showing a slight
increase, in tourism among young singles, who seem to have a disposable
budget for nothing but booze and fast food – and trouble-making, as
witnessed by this year’s increased violence in Hersonissos and Malia.
While official figures concerning
this past season’s tourism in Crete have yet to be released – the numbers
are usually inflated, at any rate – The Khronicles staff took to the
streets of the Gouves Township to get grass-roots reports from the people
that really know what’s happening in our area – the local businessmen and
shopkeepers.
Although arrival figures for
Iraklion’s Nikos Kazantzakis Airport,
which serves our township, are not yet available,
the consensus of opinion is that, while the number of tourists in the
township seems to have increased slightly, the overall spending has remained
stagnant – with the main obstacle being the continued plight to local
spending caused by all-inclusive hotels.
In addition, many businessmen report
that the ethnic background of local tourists is changing, with the newcomers
having less of a disposable income, and perhaps different products and goods
are needed to cater for the change.
Dimitris Savoithakis of Dimitris’
Taverna in Kato Gouves reported that this season was a bit down from last
year, and he put most of the blame on all-inclusive hotels.
“Each year you see more people, but
they’re all wearing those bracelets from all inclusive hotels, which keep
them virtual prisoners. Something has to be done about that.”
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Dimitris said they tried to promote
street traffic this year by closing the main shopping street to vehicular
traffic during peak hours. He said the program helped a little, but more
needs to be done.
“All in all, it has been a good year
with regards to the number of tourists,” said a long-time Kokkini Hani shop
keeper, who requested anonymity. “However, in the past we’ve had mostly
English, German, Dutch and French people, but this year there has been a
large influx of Eastern Europeans and Russians who, on the whole, do not
have so much money to spend. When they do go shopping they want to buy
different things, and we are still learning what to put on display.”
Manos Rapanakis of Burger Corner in
Kato Gouves said this season was okay, but last season was a bit better.
“The beginning and the end of the
season – that’s where the major problems are,” he explained. “It starts slow
and ends slow, with the really serious business in the middle months. But I
always say, tourism is like olive trees – one year good, one year bad.”
Kostas Anifantakis from Anna Cars in
Kokkini Hani said the season was not what he expected it to be.
“I had thought it would be a little
busier, but I am satisfied with this summer,” he said. This year we have had
an influx of Czechs, Polish
and Russians who do not seem to have as much money to spend. As for next
year, as always we look for a better season.”
Mihalis Sfakiotakis from the Onar
Café in Gouves said he had been hoping for a better season. “There have been
many tourists here but most are staying in the all-inclusive hotels which
does not help the local business,” he said. “People get cheap packages with
the all-inclusive deals and so they have no reason to spend extra money.”
Teresa Massey of Teresa’s Laundry,
Kokkini Hani, said, “I have been very busy this year and I really don’t know
why. Every season I do a lot of work for the reps but this year there has
not been so many reps based in Kokkini, but I did have more work from the
locals. Next year you cannot tell but we always hope for the best.”
Androniki Papadaki of Kokkini Hani’s
To Kima Taverna said she had a good year, even though it got off to a slow
start.
“From July onwards it was much
better, more people and a lot busier,” she said. “The good weather helped a
lot, especially in October. We hope for next year to be as good, but with a
busier start to the season.”
Eva Maheridou, who has been in the
fashion business for 14 years, has been operating a retail store in Kokkini
Hani for the past five years.
“The first two years (2002-2003)
were wonderful, and then the bracelets took over,” she said. “Since then
there’s been practically no walk-by traffic, and those that did come in had
no money to buy anything. Thank God for my Greek customers from around the
Demos.”
Space limitation prohibits
publishing all responses, but over 90 percent of the Gouves Township
businessmen queried in this newspaper’s survey reported a season either
equal to last year, or slightly improved, which is certainly an optimistic
sign – and one that seems to contradict island-wide trends.
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