Greece: hotels hit hard in May, first half of June

Holiday bookings in Greece since the May 6th election have declined dramatically and if the trend continues it could lead to the loss of 2 million arrivals this year, daily Kathimerini reports quoting a warning by the Panhellenic Hoteliers Association on Thursday. Association president Yiannis Retsos said that Greece's image as a country with no government is leading to new hotel cancellations on a daily basis. He suggested that the month of May and the first couple of weeks of June had proved very tough for hotels at holiday resorts. However, it is believed these establishments intend to take things into their own hands to improve their situation in the coming months. Meanwhile, caretaker Culture and Tourism Minister Tatiana Karapanayioti yesterday announced the implementation of various initiatives with the participation of all parties concerned in a bid to reverse Greece's negative image in the international mass media through the promotion of favorable news from this country. (ANSAmed).