Greek tour operators blackmail serbian colleagues

[Dimko-piperkata]

Greek Tour Operators have sent a demand to their Serbian counterparts that they are only allowed to sell trips to Greece, if they are not offering trips to Ohrid anymore.

Macedonian tour operators are surprised by all this, claiming they were not aware Ohrid has become a 'threat' to Greek tourism. But, it is precisely how Greek tourist operators view the pearl of the Balkans.

Recently there have been numerous write-ups on Ohrid in French, Italian and Dutch newspapers presenting the Macedonian city as a holiday destination. Also, as we all know, Greece is in a very bad financial position, they can use every income they can get, if that means pressuring regional countries and the Serbians, who they see as good 'friends', then they will. Serbians are seen as good tourists, everywhere they go, they spend a lot of money on holidays, so they want them to spend in Greece instead.

One thing remains sure, whoever wants to visit Ohrid will certainly do so, whether Macedonian, Serbian or Greek Tour Operators present it in their brochures or not.

http://www.macedoniadaily.org/

[osiris]

ah the madness that masquerades as modern hellenism sinks to another low

[Soldier of Macedon]

The more such actions by the Greeks the better, let even their 'friends' come to realise what many of them are about.

[osiris]

i cant believe why they have any friends anywhere, they are a disgrace to humanity. sly cunning backstabbers who think they are gods chosen people and are above any law that may impede or hinder their nations aims.

[Soldier of Macedon]

Circumstances change, they are no longer so favourable for the Greeks, and will become less so as time goes by.

[sf.]

This is poor journalism. How is this extortion done and how did the journalist find out about it (evidence)? What is the opinion and response of the tour operators to this?

[I of Macedon]

Through google translate:

Greek tour operators way irrational attempt to mine the Ohrid tourist offer of the Ohrid very important Serbian market, even as it was the guests from Serbia are most numerous years of rivierata.

- We are surprised by the information we received from our colleagues from Serbia who stressed that Greek tour operators have conditioned Serbia, they can sell if Greece does not offer Ohrid, the first place, said by item Jakimoski TA "Generalturist, who is amazed where such concern to Greece, or whether Ohrid is such competition for such a move.

The Mayor of Ohrid, also believes that such a move is incomprehensible that an evaluation in advance any such initiative is doomed to failure.

-Greece is trying various ways to escape from the economic crisis is, but we can not be blackmail to achieve anything. You can condition people to where to go on holiday. Who will try to condition people, or those travel agents who will accept it will certainly have a failure, because the citizens of Serbia who want to come to Ohrid will come, so I do not believe that such a campaign will have some success, said Petreski.

Representatives of the Serbian Tour operators and media these days stay in Ohrid, at the invitation of local government, believe that what Ohrid offers, especially the Serbian hospitality guests adutite Ohrid why they continue to come here.

-The competition is strong, but Ohrid has its advantages. As mentioned, if they are packed into one package with good price, sure that this year will be mostly Serbs guests orhidskata Riviera said Miso Vujovic, editor of the magazine "National Review".

http://www.ohridnews.com/index.php?mod=1&kat=4&id=20729

[Bij]

IMO, the less tourists that go to Ohrid, the better.

That whole city needs to be scrubbed down and cleaned up, and locals need to get their act together.

Economic strategies need to be established year round, not just to overcharge and jip people 1 month of the year and cry the other 11 months about how you have no money.

[osiris]

bij this describes most if not all macedonian cities and villages,

That whole city needs to be scrubbed down and cleaned up, and locals need to get their act together.

[Buktop]

IMO, the less tourists that go to Ohrid, the better.

That whole city needs to be scrubbed down and cleaned up, and locals need to get their act together.

Economic strategies need to be established year round, not just to overcharge and jip people 1 month of the year and cry the other 11 months about how you have no money.

What exactly do you think that Ohrid has to make money during the off-season months? I am from Struga and I can tell you for a fact they have nothing but kafani and farmland. Their primary income is from tourists and that is how they make their living. They raise prices in the summer so they can live during the winter. If Ohrid and Struga had proper investments from the government they would be able to survive, the sad fact of the matter is that they are neglected.

Maybe if the government wasn't so Skopje-centric people in smaller cities would stand a chance at a decent wage to sustain themselves. At this point, there are no alternatives to tourism for Ohrid, especially considering Skopje, Bitola, Prilep and Stip keep hoarding all the investment.

[Soldier of Macedon]

At this point, there are no alternatives to tourism for Ohrid, especially considering Skopje, Bitola, Prilep and Stip keep hoarding all the investment.

Can you elaborate a little further on that, Buktop? Is that a commonly accepted fact? All of that hoarding and Bitola still has broken down Ottoman roads and pathways.

[Buktop]

Can you elaborate a little further on that, Buktop? Is that a commonly accepted fact? All of that hoarding and Bitola still has broken down Ottoman roads and pathways.

Can you tell me what the major industries of Ohrid and Struga are?

The government focus' investments in Skopje (no secret there), Prilep (primarily Wine production, Tobacco, food processing), Stip (Textiles, chemicals), Bitola pretty much second largest city in Macedonia, has a wide array of industries, dyes, aluminum, energy, tourism, agriculture, food processing and film... to name a few. And this is where the primary investment and government funding allocation is located. God forbid that smaller cities should receive any help from investment or government spending.

You are asking me about the broken down Ottoman roads in Bitola? Have you been outside of centar Ohrid, or have you even been to Struga? Bitola is like New York compared to Struga.

It is definitely a fact...

[Mastika]

Can you elaborate a little further on that, Buktop? Is that a commonly accepted fact? All of that hoarding and Bitola still has broken down Ottoman roads and pathways.

Where are these Ottoman roads in Bitola? Stara carsija?!

Apart from tourism and small-scale agriculture there is very little else for Struzani to be employed in. All of the money has gone to Central Macedonia and to Skopje, there is very little industry left. To earn a decent wage people are forced to go overseas or to Skopje, thus depopulating the area. Both political parties have failed the region, it is no wonder the Macedonians are moving out. Over the last 20 years industry (except for tourism) and agriculture have both floundered in the region. What has happened in the Poloska kotlina is slowly happening to the Strusko pole.

[Mastika]

You are asking me about the broken down Ottoman roads in Bitola? Have you been outside of centar Ohrid, or have you even been to Struga? Bitola is like New York compared to Struga.

He must have looked the other way the last time he drove across the bridge near where the Romi live. It looks like Slumdog millionaire.

[Bill77]

He must have looked the other way the last time he drove across the bridge near where the Romi live. It looks like Slumdog millionaire.

You Talking about Bajro? I'd rather live there than Redfern anytime mate.