Post by Kassandros on Jul 8, 2009 3:46:46 GMT -5
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Despite the political turmoil between Athens and Skopje over the use of Macedonia’s formal name, Macedonians have returned to the beaches of northern Greece, local tourist agencies and Macedonia’s Tourist Bureau say.
The low prices and the accessibility of the sunny Greek riviera have softened Macedonian patriotism, local media say. Travel agents are already fully booked for tours to Greece and are making efforts to secure additional places.
“Last year there was a boycott of Greece, but this year, interest has increased dramatically”, Aleksandar Conevski, the vice chairman of the Tourist Bureau told local daily Vreme on Monday.
Many families have been attracted by the low prices, which he said played a key role in times of global economic downturn.
“As angry as I am with Greek politicians, my wife and I decided to go to Greece anyway. It will take us only three hours by car and the prices are very low” Stojmir from the Macedonian town of Bitola told the same newspaper.
The same cannot be said of Greek tourists to Macedonia, however. Tour operators report that Greeks have stopped visiting Macedonia’s Ohrid Lake, following incidents earlier this year when Greek buses were sprayed with nationalistic graffiti.
This event coupled with the at times angry rhetoric coming from both capitals led both Athens and Skopje to issue travel warnings for their citizens.
For landlocked Macedonia, Greece has been a traditional tourist destination offering the quickest way to enjoy the Mediterranean coast. But last year many decided not to go following the Greek government’s blocking of Macedonia’s NATO accession.
Athens claims that the name Macedonia implies territorial claims over its own eponymous northern province.
“If the ‘name’ issue is solved, there will be even greater interest in Greece”, officials from Macedonia’s Putnik Alta Tours, tourist agency say.
(Reporting by Sinisa-Jakov Marusic)
;D ;D ;D
.. when the heat starts.. Gruevski & Co play a secondary role in their patriotism.. ;D ;D ;D ;D
Despite the political turmoil between Athens and Skopje over the use of Macedonia’s formal name, Macedonians have returned to the beaches of northern Greece, local tourist agencies and Macedonia’s Tourist Bureau say.
The low prices and the accessibility of the sunny Greek riviera have softened Macedonian patriotism, local media say. Travel agents are already fully booked for tours to Greece and are making efforts to secure additional places.
“Last year there was a boycott of Greece, but this year, interest has increased dramatically”, Aleksandar Conevski, the vice chairman of the Tourist Bureau told local daily Vreme on Monday.
Many families have been attracted by the low prices, which he said played a key role in times of global economic downturn.
“As angry as I am with Greek politicians, my wife and I decided to go to Greece anyway. It will take us only three hours by car and the prices are very low” Stojmir from the Macedonian town of Bitola told the same newspaper.
The same cannot be said of Greek tourists to Macedonia, however. Tour operators report that Greeks have stopped visiting Macedonia’s Ohrid Lake, following incidents earlier this year when Greek buses were sprayed with nationalistic graffiti.
This event coupled with the at times angry rhetoric coming from both capitals led both Athens and Skopje to issue travel warnings for their citizens.
For landlocked Macedonia, Greece has been a traditional tourist destination offering the quickest way to enjoy the Mediterranean coast. But last year many decided not to go following the Greek government’s blocking of Macedonia’s NATO accession.
Athens claims that the name Macedonia implies territorial claims over its own eponymous northern province.
“If the ‘name’ issue is solved, there will be even greater interest in Greece”, officials from Macedonia’s Putnik Alta Tours, tourist agency say.
(Reporting by Sinisa-Jakov Marusic)
;D ;D ;D
.. when the heat starts.. Gruevski & Co play a secondary role in their patriotism.. ;D ;D ;D ;D