Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-06-07

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] President Papoulias attends 'Forest and Biodiversity' event in Ioannina

[02] Tourism minister stresses quality upgrade of Greek tourist product at Hotel Chamber awards

[01] President Papoulias attends 'Forest and Biodiversity' event in Ioannina

The event also included a presentation of the Museum's programme titled "Man and Environment in the 21st Century - The crucial problems."

Similar events will be staged in other cities throughout Greece, while in Ioannina, the event was organised on the occasion of World Environment Day.

Papoulias was received by Goulandris Museum chairwoman Niki Goulandri.

Immediately after the event, the President of the Republic returned to Athens.

[02] Tourism minister stresses quality upgrade of Greek tourist product at Hotel Chamber awards

Avramopoulos stressed that the ministry's efforts were aiming in this direction and that quality would give Greece a competitive advantage over other tourist destinations.

He also stressed the need to change shortsighted, price-gouging attitudes by certain businesses in the tourist sector, which sought to gain maximum profits in a short space of time, and said the ministry will crack down on profiteering.

The minister announced that the National Tourism Council will be held for the first time in Thessaloniki on July 4, with the participation of all tourism bodies, and pointed to the benefits of the new developmental law, while he called for the closure of uncompetitive hotel units.

Main opposition PASOK MP Anna Diamantopoulou questioned the minister's optimism concerning tourist traffic in 2005, pointing to disappointing occupancy rates in April and May this year.

Recipients of the Hotel Chamber's awards included former president Kostis Stephanopoulos for his contribution to the country and tourism, Athens Olympics Organising Committee chairwoman Yianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki for her contribution to the success of the Olympic Games, the airline company Aegean Airlines for best tourist enterprise, the Grande Bretagne for best city hotel, the Elounda Beach hotel for the best holiday resort, Life Gallery in Ekali for the best design and art hotel, the Hotel Imaret in Kavala for the best traditional lodgings and the Sunwing Resort for the most environmentally friendly behaviour.

Also presented at the awards was the results of a survey by the magazine "Money and Tourism", according to which Greek hotels were marginally cheaper than their western European competitors, sometimes even than their equivalents in Turkey.

None of the Balkan countries were on an equal footing with western European destinations, with the possible exception of Bulgaria, while the cheapest destination was Tunisia.

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