I spend quite some time on planes all year long and therefore, I have seen quite a few airline magazines with travelers info etc. and I must say that I have discovered very useful tips and guides for any possible destination. During my recent flight to Athens, I was going through the latest issue of Scanorama (by SAS) and I came across the chief editor’s (Per Olsson) true experience in Greece:
Scanorama, July/August 09, page 12.
Highlights from the article include:
- “a completely hopeless journey through the Greek islands”, great way to start,
- “ridiculously expensive” referring to boats from Piraeus, and I wonder whether Swedes are actually better paid than Greeks (maybe another myth?),
- “the hotel refused to open for us”, despite the fact they were notified of their late arrival in Amorgos,
- “we had to camp on the beach”,
- “a proprietor refused us on the ground that August belonged to vacationers from southern Europe, especially Greeks. We should have come in July, he said.” (Amorgos again),
- “Our accommodation turned to be a”garage with toilet that to this day tops my list of “most disgusting toilets”", that’s in Naxos,
- Luckily when in Paros, someone apologized for all the adventure the true Greek experience had offered them, but still the argument sounds kind of ridiculous to me; “… tourism is everything to the islands, but that it takes its toll on the locals who have worked around the clock for a few months and in August they have neither the energy nor the need to be as attentive anymore”, thus, if I follow the rational of the aforementioned argument I can conclude into:
- Poor southern Europeans (especially Greeks) that go on vacation on August, nobody cares about you and your satisfaction…
- Does working all year long make me and you heroes if compared to those involved in the Greek tourism industry (a few months are enough…) ?
As a government or public authority, etc. you may be spending enormous amounts into a “true experience” campaign, even a “live your myth” one (i loved the promo videos indeed) to promote your most precious product and service, is it enough? I’m no tourism expert, however, it is my feeling that it takes a personal experience like the one above to throw all this off the window. Just think how many people can read it every day, during the one month it is available, on all SAS flights…
Posted by Cωνσtantίnoς 
Posted by Cωνσtantίnoς 
Posted by Cωνσtantίnoς 
