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Post by artisans on Jun 13, 2009 8:16:44 GMT 2
Julie's Auntie Jean has arrived in Roda with a story of a friend who wanted to come here and was told, yet again, by the tour company that Corfu is full and that Greece is too expensive compared to Turkey. Neither of these statements are remotely true and as Greek Reporter tells us this week, Santorini is 70% down on bookings this year and Mykynos 50% down.
After three attempts, ABTA have finally dismissed my complaint about this despicable practice by saying that they don't get involved in the commercial decisions of their members.
Naively, I thought that part of their brief was to protect travellers by ensuring that they get true and accurate information. I never knew that lying was considered to be a 'commercial decision'.
Steve
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Post by cuthbert on Jun 13, 2009 9:48:36 GMT 2
Steve, have you thought about contacting BBC Watchdog? CC
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craig
Roda Enthusiast
Posts: 74
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Post by craig on Jun 13, 2009 14:06:06 GMT 2
what about the greek tourism board im sure they would have plenty to say on this
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Post by Ian on Jun 13, 2009 20:05:24 GMT 2
Hi Steve Why am I not surprised. Ive still got my teeth in T/O regarding the Airport charges .And a refund.
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Post by artisans on Jun 14, 2009 7:46:02 GMT 2
Thanks, Cuthbert, we have thought of contacting 'Watchdog', especially as they were ready to fly to Corfu over the Airport Tax fiasco. We'll give it some thought again. My concern is that if we score a point with the travel companies, they might boycott us altogether.
Steve
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Post by artisans on Jun 14, 2009 7:50:25 GMT 2
Hi Craig - The Tourism Board, EOT, comes in for much criticism here on the island and it's difficult to know just what proactive measures they take other than to monitor accommodation and facilities. Like many important things in this world, I suspect they suffer from chronic underfunding.
Steve
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Post by artisans on Jun 14, 2009 8:00:40 GMT 2
I didn't mention that the lady concerned did book a holiday - to Turkey - because that is all she was offered. When Jean said she was coming to Corfu, the lady said 'you are lucky to find accommodation, because the island is full'!
Tour companies and their agents are saying that Turkey & Egypt are the only markets that remain bouyant and showing an increasing in demand over last year - is it any wonder when they are openly lying to customers and manipulating enquiries? .... and these 'commercial decisions' are purely to bolster profits so that wealthy shareholders can get their annual dividends - a dishonourable practice that has the full support of ABTA.
Steve
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Post by lukert09 on Jun 14, 2009 12:23:42 GMT 2
airport tax??
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Post by gailie66 on Jun 14, 2009 22:05:35 GMT 2
i had a similar experience a couple of years ago when i wanted to book amarosa apartments,as a result ended up booking elsewhere but still in roda.Was told that the amarosa was fully booked but when i went to see friends who were staying at the amarosa i was asked by natalie and andreas why i hadn't booked to stay with them as i done before was told that they were not full at all and had indeed several apartments empty.Like steve says its all about the tour operators and profits and not the holiday makers.
Gail.
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Post by donbrindles on Jun 15, 2009 16:00:21 GMT 2
I've read the various posts about this, and frankly the allegations that tour companies and travel agents are lying about the availability - or non-availability - of holiday accommodation in Greece puzzles me.
I live in the south-east of England, and when in town this morning I checked the windows of two local travel agents: Thomas Cook and Thomson. Between them they were advertising five holdays to Greece, including Corfu, Halkidiki, Paphos and Kefalonia...but only two to Turkey. I also checked the websites of these and several other high-street travel agents. All had plenty of offers for holidays in Greece.
No evidence there I think of a conspiracy to favour Turkey over Greece in the interests of profit or shareholders. Or perhaps "don't tell anyone that there's room in Greece" has been so effective that Turkey is now getting full while Greece is empty!
Come on everyone...If I want a holiday in Greece - or anywhere else for that matter - and was told it was "full", perhaps I'd be just a little naive to accept it at face value?
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Post by artisans on Jun 15, 2009 19:03:15 GMT 2
We are not saying that Greece isn't in the brochures, Don - everything is advertised until you try to book. Jean was told by her friend that she was 'lucky to be able to get in as GREECE was full!' Perhaps someone who has just returned can comment.
Steve
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jacks
Roda Anorak
Posts: 3,853
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Post by jacks on Jun 15, 2009 20:09:11 GMT 2
Well, look at me. I could get a flight to Corfu, but as soon as I added any accomodation, in Roda, to the picture, it said it was unavailable.....
Something's not right, somewhere. And I know for a fact that the apartments aren't totally full.
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Post by artisans on Jun 16, 2009 7:51:12 GMT 2
I've read the various posts about this, and frankly the allegations that tour companies and travel agents are lying about the availability - or non-availability - of holiday accommodation in Greece puzzles me. No evidence there I think of a conspiracy to favour Turkey over Greece in the interests of profit or shareholders. Or perhaps "don't tell anyone that there's room in Greece" has been so effective that Turkey is now getting full while Greece is empty! Hi Dad I do have to say that this is happening, it is a fact. The brochures may be showing holidays to Roda, Corfu & Greece but we are told time and time again not only by our forum members but also by the apartment owners here who are with tour operators that their potential customers are being told that Roda is full etc. We even had one of the accommodation owners, when in London, try at several travel agents to book for his own apartments and was told that he couldn't go there as it was fully booked - it wasn't and he knew that. Every week we have people hiring cars & taxis from Sidari, Axaravi and Kassiopi who normally come to Roda but were told "Roda is full". These are people who love Roda so much that they are prepared to pay for taxis to come to Roda. Some will even pay for additonal accommodation to stay in Roda for a few days. These are the people we know about. For those that can, they go independently, if they can get a flight. For others, they opt for a holiday elsewhere. When faced with an agent whose screen is saying Roda is full, many people don't realise that there are other ways. That's why the website was originally concieved to promote Roda outside of the tour operators. This is happening and I know that people on the forum have experienced this situation exactly. (LUM) Julie
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Post by artisans on Jun 16, 2009 8:56:50 GMT 2
Somewhat in conflict with ABTA's feeble reply about 'not interfering in the commercial decisions of its members', this statement is taken from their website:
'The primary aims of the Code of Conduct are to ensure that the public receive the best possible service from Members, and to maintain and enhance the reputation, good name and standing of ABTA and its Members.'
How can they reconcile the removal of the the general public's freedom of choice with the best possible service?
Steve
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 16, 2009 11:38:29 GMT 2
I have researched and studied Corfu Holiday Problems for sometime now, and on a number of occasions armed with details of accommodation that I have found online, knowing to be available, with plenty of rooms, I have gone to Travel Agents, and have been told they are full, or have gone elsewhere, or similar misconceptions. It is a ploy to get travellers to go elsewhere to spread out the costs, and the word so to speak. I have a friend who use to work for a Travel Agent who actually told me this also, and explained why.
I can remember once being told that a certain hotel did not exist, and had not done so for sometime. When I showed them a Google Satellite Map of a few days old, showing the hotel, with people in situ, there were a number red faces.
On another forum a few years back, we had a very similar matter involving a Travel and Airline Company so that they could everyone to go to their new AI hotel in the north of Corfu. The following year, the same company dropped this complex from its listings, and was getting everyone to go to Eastern Europe.
Never believe them until you are certain the truth is being told.
Yeiamas, Chris
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