Greece recently ranked 9th in the annual "Country Brand Index, published by global strategic branding firm, FutureBrand.
From the report:
“GREECE HAS GREAT COUNTRY ASSETS, BUT NEEDS TO BE STEADIER WITH ITS BRAND EFFORTS .”
Greece slipped in 2007--having placed 5th overall last year.
What's the problem? Well, there is the question of a "non-integrated" campaign. Greece's new tagline, "Explore your senses" is solid, but why not follow up with a website that follows up and delivers a unique user experience?
Others feel that Greece's branding is focused too much on what we'll call "retail tourism." Why not attack the corporate market and position Greece as an attractive business destination?
DF: "Brand Greece" is attracting a lot of attention these days. Much of it due to the efforts of Secretary General of Information, Panos Livadas. Daily Frappe met up with the Secretary General during his recent trip to the States. More on our chat with the Secretary tomorrow...
download report (pdf)
branding greece
posted on Monday, November 26
In the midst of the huge Chinese metropolis of Shanghai, exists a quaint Greek restaurant named Aegean, which after a quiet start, has been making a name for itself in the city.
Located right behind the Secret garden restaurant in the city (exact address is 333 Changle Lu, near Shaanxi Lu for those possibly traveling to China), the restaurant has been getting steadily increasing good reviews and was also quoted as being one of the city's 'best restaurants.'
A blue and white decor greet you when you enter the restaurant, which also has a great outdoor patio, and a nice sized menu to choose from. A dinner for two is affordable and many locals claim this to be the best taste of Greece in the city.
DF: Check out the reviews below.
Aegean Restaurant Reviews
posted on Monday, November 12
If you sign up for "Boutique Week" at the Blue Palace resort located in beautiful Elounda, Crete; be sure to ready yourself for anything but a relaxing week. This spa "camp" is a rigorous seven day program that tests your cardiovasular, endurance and flexibility. Every day begins with a 7 AM work out , which is followed by two more sessions throughout the day and ends with a hike up a hill. (Sorry no spas or therma treatment here.)
The program designed by Joe Fournier, a former England basketball captain and now personal trainer, has become fairly popular, and has drawn an added and very targeted number of 'tourists' to the hotel.
DF: The program also includes a high protein, low sugar diet, and lots and lots of swimming and walking. Doesn't sound like a vacation to us but if you want to come back from Greece feeling more fit than ever...give it a try.
Blue Palace
posted on Thursday, September 20
The eastern portion of the island of Crete is one of the last vast underdeveloped swaths of land in the Meditterean Sea, but a group of international developers who have their eyes set on the site, might change all that.
The Minoan group, which is proposing to develop Cavo Sidero ( a large development which includes six villages with traditional homes, villas and apartments as well as hotels, sports facilities, restaurants, and large areas left untouched for nature reserves and paths), has said that they have already spent about 2 million euros on an environmental study and also pledged to build desalination and wastewater treatment plants in the area.
Their golf courses will be filled with seashore paspalum, a salt-tolerant grass, and with local flora instead of grasses that require a lot of water and they plan to educate vacationers and homeowners at Cavo Sidero on responsible water use.
Locals however are up in arms about the event, fearing that the area and tourists will demand too much water that the locals should be using. (They do have a point. 50% of Crete is under severe danger of desertification.)
DF: More about the projected development and the concerns below. Shout out to Christina from NY for the heads up on this story.
NY Times
MinoanGroup
posted on Wednesday, August 22
British Airways announced this week that it will actively support the efforts to reforest Mount Parnitha. The airline will donate €1 from each ticket sold in Greece in August, September and October for the restoration of the forest, a large part of which was destroyed by a devastating fire that broke out at the end of June.
British Airways suppports over 130 programs worldwide that deal with conservation and protecting the enviornment.
DF: Way to go BA! Let's hope others join in.
Euro Charity
posted on Friday, August 10
Malia, Crete; often regarded as the Ibiza of Greece, has been the destination point for thousands of British tourists for the last several years. These tourists, most of whom are under 30, have crossed the line and made the local population who reside in the area furious. Residents, local business owners, hotel operators and even the mayor of the town blocked off the main highway in the area; demanding that order be restored to the town.
According to locals, the young tourists are trashing the area; preforming sex in public areas, and get over intoxicated.
What do the residents of Malia want? A stricter code at bars with the amount of alcohol served, a more firm police force in the area, and a government crack down on tourism agencies that promote the area for its partying atmosphere.
DF: This has happened to other parts of Greece and while its OK to have a fun time you have to be respectful of your surroundings. Has anyone been to Malia?
Reuters
Malia UK (UK site all about Malia.)
posted on Thursday, July 26
Need stress relief? The UK's 999today.com website is recommending Thessaloniki as the place to be, which is home to a number of hotels that have great spas within their walls.
The four top hotels and their spas include:
City Hotel - Central Spa: For 370 Euros you get a three night stay and an Elemis Deep Tissue Muscle Massagewhich focuses on stress release and muscle relaxation.
Egnatia Palace Hotel - Thalassa Spa: For only 221 Euros, a couple can receive a three night stay in a double room with a signature spa treatment based on a NUVOLA bed. This is a special waterbed where a seaweed wrap and a special aromatherapy treatment is combined with Shiatsu massage for face and body ending with a relaxing rub down, using hot volcanic stones and sea shells.
Nikopolis Hotel Thessaloniki - Aqua Club: This hotel/spa located just 5 min from the airport offers a four day hotel package and includes its signature treatment being the Elemis Skin Specifics Facial which is the perfect skin facial, for 391 Euros a couple.
Electra Palace Hotel: Located in the heart of Thessaloniki - right on Aristotelous Square - this hotel package and spa treatment is by far the most expensive. A four night stay for a couple and a Holistic Massage, a 90 minute exhilarating massage from head to toe, will cost you 490 Euros.
DF: After your spa treatment at the Electra Palace be sure to head to Mesogios restaurant. On our recent trip we had a grand time sipping cocktails on the outdoor terrace... Fabulous views.
posted on Wednesday, July 18
Taking full advantage of their new EU status, Romanians are flocking to their southern neighbors to soak in the sea and sun. The Greek islands and the Bulgarian coasts are the most popular summer holiday destinations for Romanians, according to the National Association of Tour Operators in Romania, given that the number of Romanian tourists visiting Greece and Bulgarian has doubled within a year.
Romanians also are visiting in large number the religious penisula of Mount Athos and the northeastern Greek city of Alexandroupolis.
DF: Alexandroupolis is a multicutlural mosaic of a city, consisting of a mix of Ottoman, Bulgarian, Vlach and Greek influences. And its summer night life is not to be missed - make sure to check out Akrotiri - a fun beach bar which opens at 9 PM and stays open until the morning hours.
Sophia News Agency
Alexandroupolis
posted on Wednesday, July 11
On the Vouliagmeni coast, dubbed also as the Athenian Riviera by some, a third luxury hotel will soon join the ranks of two already exisiting stunning hotels which are located on a secluded penisula just off the Attiki coast.
Astir Palace, the name for the area; consists of the two already operating luxury five star hotels, the Arion Resort and Spa and the Westin Athens. A recent renovation at the Arion Resort including a complete overhaul of its spa. The third luxury hotel, which was previously the Aphrodite hotel, will reopen as a new W hotel.
DF: Thse hotels are located in a spot which gives you breathtaking views of the Saronic Gulf. The complex is easily accessibly to the city center, but still far enough from it all to give you some peace and quiet.
Astir Palace
posted on Thursday, July 5
Wish your job consisted of waking up in the morning in beautiful island settings and walking around photographing interesting things you see? Mr. Walker does just that. For the past several years, Mr. Walker has island hopped over several of Greece's islands (including some very small ones off the beaten path) and written books and local guides to help tourists get "off the beaten path" and explore islands in a different light.
He updates his books and guides often, and is always out there exploring and finding new places to discover. Check out his sites.
Island Walking Greece
posted on Thursday, July 5
