GREECE TO OPEN TOURISM EARLIER IN SPRING 2022 Greece is to extend the tourist season and open up early next year. Already in discussion with low cost airline, Jet2 to support its efforts, with the aim of offering UK travellers flights to Greece earlier than usual as well as, for the 1st time to Athens. Promotion of autumn and winter destinations, and supporting hotel units that open for 12 months a year as well as promoting urban getaway tourism in the main urban centres will be a focus. Plaka, Athens, Greece
Traditional and new strategic travel and tourism partners will continue as before and an increase in flights from the United States is being developed with long standing US agents, ensuring that flights to Greece remain active until at least the end of this season. The Ministry is prioritising tourism training and education in an effort to create added value from the tourism product and national human resources. It is in talks with French hospitality giant Accor to look at establishing a tourism academy in Greece, as well as with TUI.
WORLD VOYAGEUR DOCKS AT INAUGURAL STOP TO GIBRALTAR Cruise ship ‘World Voyageur’ has been welcomed on its inaugural visit to Gibraltar. Operated by Nicko Cruises and Quark Expeditions, it is owned by Mystic Cruises. The ship was built in 2020 and has 86 cabins with a capacity of approximately 200 passengers and 100 crew. The ship will help support the tourism sector on the British Overseas Territory and proves that Gibraltar is still a popular destination in the Mediterranean.
BRITISH MOTOR MUSEUM CONFERENCE FACILITIES ACCREDITED ‘SILVER’ FOR ITS ECO-FOCUSED ACTIONS The British Motor Museum is the 1st Museum to be accredited with ‘Silver’ status by Greengage ECOsmart, the accreditation programme which recognises and supports eco-friendly hotels and conference venues that meet certified standards of sustainability. Silver status is awarded to venues that have taken steps to achieve a wide range of eco-focussed actions and can demonstrate an eco-friendly service approach in 5 key areas: Energy & Water Conservation, Waste Management & Recycling, Rooms & Facilities, Food & Beverage and Corporate & Social Responsibility. The Museum is committed to continually improving its environmental performance and is providing greener ways to do business and host events. It has installed a building management system that automatically optimises the heating and air conditioning, all its lights are LED, it has Solar PV array panels on the Collections Centre roof which supplies the power to this low energy usage building. The centre has achieved Zero Waste to Landfill and endeavours to source all consumable products from local quality suppliers. It has also invested in 10 electric charging points for visitors and event organisers to use, with the infrastructure to support more. 2019 saw a drive to eliminate 80% of its single use plastic, replacing plastic bottled water in their Café for cans of water, reduced their plastic usage by 1.21 tons (46, 644 bottles) in the first 12 months, whilst its own bottling plant provides still and sparkling filtered water in recyclable glass bottles for conference delegates. Partnership with Fair Trade coffee supplier Paddy & Scotts, who also run a Community Wellbeing Initiative in Kenya, has
