27-06-2008

This week 27.06.08 – 03.07.08
2
International
Rescuers try to remove and
identify hundreds of bodies
trapped under a ferry that
capsized in the Philippines.
• Page 6
Business
Greek hoteliers sound the
alarm bell on tourism and
ask the government to
implement new measures.
• Page 10
Books & Ideas
‘Churnalism:’ Nick Davies
tracks the deterioration of
the global media in ‘Flat
Earth News.’
• Page 14
Community Events
Take in new experiences
from different corners of the
globe at Athens’s first
Festival of Cultures.
• Page 19
Sports & Leisure
Sailing is the ideal hobby
for both children
and grownups who
love the sea.
• Page 21
Green Spaces
Most urban greenery
designers have got hold
of the wrong end
of the stick.
• Page 22
Fashion
Designer Yiorgos
Eleftheriades has come up
with exciting looks for this
summer season.
• Page 23
The Event
The Greek Festival takes over
the Ancient Theater of
Epidaurus with drama and
contemporary dance.
• Pages 24-25
Arts
Exhibition of works by
Francisco de Goya opens at
the National Gallery.
• Page 26
Gastronomy
Cheese fermented in wine,
sweet tomatoes and a way
with pasta are trademarks of
the cuisine on the isle of Kos.
• Page 33
DVD & Games
Boom Blox, a great brainchallenging
puzzle game for
the entire family, is now
available in stores.
• Page 34
Excursion
Greece’s largest lake,
Trichonida, located on the
western mainland, offers a
variety of delights.
• Page 42
ATHENSPLUS • FRIDAY, JUNE 27, 2008
SECOND PAGE
The coastal shipping industry’s development will determine the very future of this country the way it did from the
time the Greeks first settled in the area, spread out to the islands and began to trade with their neighbors across the sea.
From the time they settled on this peninsula
and fanned out across its islands, the
Greeks have been a seafaring nation. The
demands of travel between distant ports,
and the need to trade, drove the Greeks to
conquer the seas. It was a matter of survival.
Today the Greeks are the dominant
force in international shipping, achieving
this after the catastrophe of World War II,
thanks to the entrepreneurial spirit and seamanship
of individuals who risked great
personal danger in order to succeed. But
there is another aspect of Greek shipping
whose development determines the very
future of this country the way it did from
the start: the coastal shipping industry.
This industry – which is the lifeline for
goods, vehicles and passengers between
the many islands and the mainland – is in
a state of transition. It is dominated by an
ever smaller number of companies. Also,
a new generation of high-speed ships is replacing
the conventional ferries. On the one
hand, this is progress – providing modern
vessels that cut travel times by half. On the
other, the new ships require expensive financing
and consume many more times
the fuel of the conventional ones – at a time
when fuel costs are at record levels. This
leads to pressure for fare increases and, in
turn, raises the danger of people avoiding
EDITORIAL
Ships and islands
the islands. Also, the transportation of
goods will keep getting more expensive.
On large islands such as Crete, for example,
tourists will still be able to arrive via
direct charter flights. But, in order to
compensate for the more expensive air tickets
(due to fuel costs), hoteliers and restaurant
owners will have to lower their
Confidence
Only if shipping companies inspire
confidence and remain affordable
will they keep generating the traffic
that they need in order to stay in
business
prices. For mainland Greeks wanting to holiday
on an island, the price of a family and
their car could soon be prohibitively expensive.
In the case of the smaller islands,
especially those not on popular routes, the
locals worry that shipping companies
will find ways to reduce the number of calls
they make, especially in the off-season,
when the new high-cost vessels will be almost
empty.
Aside from a possible drop in visitors,
though, the higher cost of transporting
AthensPlus
Ethnarhou Makariou & 2 Falireos, Athens 185-47 Greece • Tel. 210.480.8000, Fax 210.480.8460
Published by IHT-Kathimerini SA
goods will compound the islands’ problems.
For example, farmers who depend
on trucks to get their fresh produce to European
markets might find themselves
priced out of some markets, which will
force them to cut initial prices to remain
competitive. Less money will circulate at
home. At the same time, goods imported
to the islands will be more expensive. In
other words, if fares keep rising, islanders’
incomes will shrink while their expenses
will grow. This can only lead to a lower
quality of life. People might choose to leave
their island. Those who stay would be desperate
to exploit their property: Instead of
investing in high-quality projects that
would increase revenues while protecting
the environment, they might continue the
destructive policy whereby every available
piece of land is built upon, spoiling the islands’
charm, degrading their environment
and undermining their future.
A lot is at stake. The government and the
shipping companies must work together
to ensure that ferries serve the islanders
and tourists efficiently and in the greatest
safety. Only if the companies inspire confidence
and remain affordable will they
keep generating the traffic that they need
in order to stay in business. It is a matter
of survival – for them and for the islands.
Editor Nikos Konstandaras • Deputy Editor Nick Malkoutzis
Art Director Valentina Villegas-Nikas
E-mail editor@ekathimerini.com • website www.ekathimerini.com • Subscriptions 210.480.8222 • Advertising 210.480.8227