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Post by artisans on Jul 23, 2014 18:56:40 GMT 2
Several years ago, there was talk about a new development in Roda that had the support of many local people. Well, it seems that the proposal has re-emerged in the last few weeks, a fact supported by the move by Kosta's Horseriding to a new field across the road. The land on the right just over the bridge, near to the Afroditi Hotel, is seemingly now to be tastefully developed as an all-inclusive luxury villa complex. My understanding is that this is not to be a 'pile-em high, sell-em cheap' type of development, but something altogether more up-market. It may well be that the development will extend beyond that piece of land and there is some current activity that may corroborate that. We have been told that the work is due to start in November and take 18 months overall. This is not the first time this has been said, but it does seem to be more positive on this occasion.
It is also thought that Thomas Cook may be flying to Corfu up to around November 20th, and starting again earlier next year - again, this has not been confirmed, but any evidence would be welcomed on the forum. It could also be that there will be changes to the way Mitsis Roda Beach is operated and by whom - all conjecture at this stage, but well worth keeping an eye on.
Whether we agree with all-inclusive or not, being so close to Roda Village does bring welcome business to local people, many of whom return in subsequent years to self-catering accommodation in the village itself. Hopefully this is all good news for Roda.
Steve
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Post by redwalks on Jul 23, 2014 20:01:38 GMT 2
Steve
What do you mean by all-inclusive?
Unfortunately I (and other family members) have been to resorts where all-inclusive's have represented a slow death for them.
More and more of the local hotels see this as 'the future' leaving the local bars and tavernas with a dwindling trade. The end result is a resort with various all-inclusive accommodations and an ugly selection of closed bars & tavernas.
Sorry to contribute a negative comment. Hopefully i have misunderstood, or Roda will prove the exception to the rule.
Antony
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kaz
Roda Anorak
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Post by kaz on Jul 23, 2014 21:08:21 GMT 2
Oh dear, our village will not be the same me thinks........
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pete sant
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Roda Riddler 2008
UNITED - NOT ARROGANT - JUST BETTER
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Post by pete sant on Jul 23, 2014 22:17:10 GMT 2
You've only got to walk to Acharavi to see what too many all inclusives can do. pete.
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Post by kathwebber on Jul 24, 2014 0:02:53 GMT 2
hate the idea - dont understand the concept of all-inclusive luxury villas - normally with a villa you want to do your own thing - not be tied to an all-inclusive regime - this could be the death knell for Roda (in my opinion)
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Post by Gil on Jul 24, 2014 7:45:31 GMT 2
Reading Steves post above regarding flights until 20th November. We frequent a taverna on the beach a lot and are good friends with the owner.
He told us that flights are going to be extended which is a good thing for Corfu but he was also very critical of the all inclusive Mitses that is now attracting more and more eastern Europeans who don't want to spend any money in the local tavernas so how is this going to benefit the local economy. I know the whole concept of all inclusive is that there is no need to go to eat out but said that in previous years when there were only a few nationalities in the Mitses he was still getting a fair custom from them but not this year.
Gil
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Post by artisans on Jul 24, 2014 10:20:27 GMT 2
I, and many other people in Roda, do not like the concept of all-inclusive hotels and I understand Antony’s ‘negative’ response. The excuse given by many people for choosing AI is children, which, to me, means that the parents can lounge by the pool all day while the kids run riot. One man on Trip Advisor once said he could not take his wallet in his trunks to be buying ice-creams every ten minutes. Needless to say he was well criticised.
Family holidays are perhaps the only chance for a family to be together in a busy year and it presents them with a unique opportunity for doing things together as a group. To go AI destroys all of that and many parents abdicate their responsibilities by actually holidaying separately from their children on the basis that “it’s my holiday too!” It’s almost as though parents are taking holidays from their kids rather than with them.
The concept of AI was started by a Belgian man in the 1950s and who can say that Billy Butlin didn’t precede even him? It seemed to gain in popularity with the advent of travel to more dangerous countries – places like the Caribbean and, more recently, resorts like Sharm in Egypt. Of course, Corfu in general, and Roda in particular, is nothing like that and is a very safe place to go. One report a few years ago was of the security man at Mare Blu, the AI at St Spiridon’s Bay, telling visitors to be back in before 9pm “for their own safety!” Clearly, some people do buy holidays on fear …
In any case, choosing an AI resort from a brochure is often the only choice you take making it almost a ‘No Choice Holiday,’ although there is always the two-day pre-booking of Chinese, Italian or Greek on-site restaurants to keep you amused! It would not be for me … Clearly, the AI system causes money to be exchanged in the visitor’s own country and less so in the host country. This must hold big advantages for operators who contribute very little to local economies.
Thinking about Pete’s comment about Acharavi, I’m not sure I see it quite the same way. Beis Beach created a lot of revenue for the seafront businesses all the way down to the Fuego Bar and I believe most would be pleased if it were to reopen. Valentine’s was one of the first to stop trading when Beis Beach closed, then the travel shop next door, followed this year by Binelikia which actually highlights another important issue.
Not all visitors to AI remain prisoners for the duration – take a look at the torches making their way home along the seafront pathway every evening. If Mitsis does one thing for Roda, it acts as an introduction agency, bringing many first-timers to our village. From the 30,000 plus visitors each year, a good percentage find their way into Roda and spend money. It has been said that even though all their costs are supposedly included, many allow £50 per day to be spent elsewhere. Mitsis, and their tour operators, spend many thousands of euros advertising Roda in their brochures and websites, which is publicity we could not otherwise get. What we need to do as a village is make sure that those escapees see what they’re missing and return to Roda the following year for a real Greek experience. This is something the village can do and the new beachfront terraces will help in that respect. There is more too ... but maybe later.
Some time ago, I was told that the proposed new development will be quite different from Mitsis and, as Kath points out, the villas will be well spaced out for people to do their own thing. It will be almost in Roda itself, unlike the monstrosity at St Spiridon and I believe it will generate additional revenue for local businesses. Roda is already very different from other resorts on the island and I think we need to give attention to some of the smaller details to secure the future of the village. I dislike all-inclusives, but I feel quite positive about this.
Steve
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Post by lisydaly on Jul 24, 2014 11:01:55 GMT 2
I was always under the impression that that land could not be built on as it was too close to the sea? Alex at Golden Sands would know for sure. Regardless - yet aother all inclusive, be it top end or el cheapo - a total disaster for Roda. As someone else pointed out - ask Greek business owners in Acharavi if they have benefitted from that all inclusive and you will get a resounding no. Apart from the odd stroll around the people in that complex don't use the local tavernas, shops or anything else. Apart from giving jobs to a few locals, it will take business away from Roda. I sometimes wonder what planet the people are on who think these complexes are good idea - for their own bank balance maybe? Certainly not for local business. Apart from that - St Spiridon, once one of the most beautiful, peaceful places in north Corfu, now totally ruined by some money grabbing Russian who bought most of the land, and then built the monstrosity of a place it is today. One place we will never re-visit. I prefer to keep my memories as they were.
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Post by redwalks on Jul 24, 2014 11:28:59 GMT 2
The problem becomes exacerbated when the very same tourists, who chose to use the all-inclusives, then stop coming to the resorts because the resorts start to appear run down (with all the closed down establishments). I can see that there are certain places that all-inclusives work. For example we went to the Dominican once and there weren’t the local facilities to have sorted yourself out in that area. But, unless it is an all-inclusive resort set on it’s own, I don’t think they fit in established Greek resorts. It might just be me but my idea of a Greek holiday is to visit as many of the local bars/taverns (taking in their unique atmosphere) as possible and, in doing so, sampling a much wider choice of the local food/drink.
In response to Steve’s point about why some families use them. My boy is only 2 and so we can still remember very different (and prob more relaxing) holidays without himself. That said we enjoyed playing with Isaac on the beach (basically being a kid again) and seeing him thoroughly enjoy his holiday. We wouldn’t for one min want to farm him off just so we could get some peace but sadly we know people who do. Antony
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jul 24, 2014 11:54:18 GMT 2
We have been to many places where AI has come into that resort. It may start of well in the beginning, but when the visitors to these complexes realise that they have paid for food and drinks in their price, the need to explore outside the complex becomes a NO NO, usually on the financial aspect, plus the parents can stay within the confines of the complex, allowing their children to run free in safety whilst they while away the nights at the bar.
This has been one of the main reasons why we have eventually, up sticks and found a new location to visit. A few years back when I was a member of a well known other forum, I was in support of fighting against the first AI that was built on the island for First Choice, their exclusive all in complex. Soon after its opening, the complaints started flooding in regarding times to be back on base, cant do this, cannot do that, and more.
A holiday should be a family holiday, where one goes to the beaches together, dines together, plays together, and more importantly, can explore the area. I feel in my opinion, that this is all taken away from the family by All Inclusive holidays.
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pete sant
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Roda Riddler 2008
UNITED - NOT ARROGANT - JUST BETTER
Posts: 6,977
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Post by pete sant on Jul 24, 2014 12:34:12 GMT 2
The main reason we started to holiday in Roda was that Acharavi had become a ghost town after 21:00hrs, what used to be busy lively bars were empty and after the A.I. crowd had finished their evening walk you could fire a gun down the main street & never hit anyone. As for the A.I. crowd spending 50 euros per day, I have my doubts, you see the odd U.K. person in the bars & tavernas but very seldom any of the Europeans. One bar owner told me the other night that his takings were just about level with last year but that the drinks supplier told him that for Roda as a whole the sales are well down, time will tell if the new A.I. is good for Roda or not, personally I'm not holding my breath. pete.
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Post by artisans on Jul 24, 2014 12:35:54 GMT 2
The drinks supplier may have lost business to a competitor Pete, so it's too soon to be sure maybe. One thing that I have been thinking lately, having spoken at length to two Russian girls, is that it is not enough to translate menus for British food into Russian - someone has to provide Russian food, or Romanian, or whatever. We cannot expect eastern Europeans to come to Greece and buy food created for the Brits, but written in another language. Our girls were from St Petersburg, they were totally fed up with their breakfast of boiled eggs every day and would have preferred porridge! I think it is up to the local businesses to market themselves to the new nationalities and maybe things will improve.
Steve
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Post by MalcClayt on Jul 24, 2014 13:30:15 GMT 2
We met a family who came down from Mitsis AI last year and they couldn't believe how nice and friendly Roda was. Staying at the Mitsis they said they had not been told anything about Roda but thought they would give it a try. Then then said that when they realised the money they had spent for AI, versus the prices for drinks and food in Roda, they wouldn't be doing it again. AI's are OK for some people I suppose but you never get to see the real place you are visiting.I have always liked to find out from the locals about their culture and way of life etc... Nothing more boring in my opinion that being stuck in a hotel complex for a holiday and not wanting to venture out because you have paid for everything. Plus what happens if you don't get on with the people your stuck with and you don't like the food! As you may have guessed they are not for me...
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Post by gremlindog on Jul 24, 2014 13:52:31 GMT 2
We have been to many places where AI has come into that resort. It may start of well in the beginning, but when the visitors to these complexes realise that they have paid for food and drinks in their price, the need to explore outside the complex becomes a NO NO, usually on the financial aspect, plus the parents can stay within the confines of the complex, allowing their children to run free in safety whilst they while away the nights at the bar.
This has been one of the main reasons why we have eventually, up sticks and found a new location to visit. A few years back when I was a member of a well known other forum, I was in support of fighting against the first AI that was built on the island for First Choice, their exclusive all in complex. Soon after its opening, the complaints started flooding in regarding times to be back on base, cant do this, cannot do that, and more.
A holiday should be a family holiday, where one goes to the beaches together, dines together, plays together, and more importantly, can explore the area. I feel in my opinion, that this is all taken away from the family by All Inclusive holidays.
I cant agree more! We go away as a family so spend the time there as a family - we have toyed with AI before but think that you miss out on getting to know the locals etc and dare not go out of the complex for fear of spending money when you have all of your food catered for in the complex. Im still a self catering guy I guess!
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kaz
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Post by kaz on Jul 24, 2014 17:01:30 GMT 2
A couple of years back we met a young couple and it turned out they were from the AI along the beach pass the Golden Sands (Alexandros on the beach) they said the food was awful so they walked into the village to eat.....reckon they will not return ....
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