TUI UK Issues Faliraki Warning

[HW Chris]

Taken from Travel Weekly - 12th December 2003

"A fall-off in the youth market to Faliraki will leave the Greeks with a major problem of empty rooms, TUI UK managing director Chris Mottershead has warned.

At a meeting in London Greek authorities announced a series of measures designed to crack down on the loutish behaviour that tarnished the resort's image this year.

These include a new 24-hour police station at the end of Bar Street with 20 officers and 10 community police, who will undergo people management training to offer �a word in the right ear at the appropriate time�. Many will also be English speaking.

Limits have also been put on bar crawls and authorities are looking at introducing identification wrist bands for people on crawls. Police have been working with their Blackpool counterparts on the initiative.

Kallithea mayor John Iatrides said: �There's no question of there being a police crackdown. It's a softly, softly approach. We want young visitors to keep coming to Rhodes.�

However, according to Mottershead the general youth market to Faliraki for next year is already 68% down, although only 5% of all TUI's bookings to Rhodes were through its youth Freestyle brand.
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