Guest Inn The Greek Network of Rural Accommodation

Guest Inn – The Greek Network of Rural Accommodation www. guestinn. com

What are the colors of Greece? The Blue & White of course !! But for us exist another Greece and Its color is green!

About Guest Inn • Guest Inn is the first Greek network of selected traditional rural accommodations. • A private initiative, created in 2003 by two travel experts. It is a Greek-French cooperation and the head office is in Athens. • Guest Inn is a member of the European Federation of Farm and Village Tourism, “Euro. Gites”since 2004.

Main tasks 1. Services to the Members § § § Promotion Information Organization Advice Cooperation

2. Service to the travelers (clients) A quality website for all! § § § Fast & clear updated information Quick & easy search Themed vacation planning On line booking & payment Up dated prices & special offers

Financial Principles § Annual fee depending the size of the guest house § Commission on bookings § No permanent funds (national or European)

Product presentation Our philosophy § Authenticity § Quality § Warm welcome and family atmosphere § Environment

Small family accommodation B&B Farm houses Cottages Traditional Rural Accommodation Lodgings Guest Houses

The GUEST INN label

4 specific quality standards Hospitality Architectural style Comfort Location

Warm & friendly welcome

Comfort

Typical style of building

Environment

Classification The sunflowers (1 to 4) classify the standard of the accommodation and help travellers to find the guest house that will best meet their needs

The Guest Inn Network

Provided services § Homemade breakfast § Homemade meals (table d’hôtes) § Cleaning service, towels & sheets, electricity and other charges (included in price) § Fresh fruits and vegetables for free § Greek cuisine lessons § Activities (horse riding, local production initiation, mountain bike, etc

Price level Average price for 2 persons depending the period and the category § Bed & Breakfast: from 40 to 80 euros/day § Traditional lodgings (self catering): from 40 to 90 euros/day § Traditional cottages: from 50 to 100 euros/day

Tax & other regulations § No special tax regulation for small size accommodations § Normal VAT charges § High local charges § High social charges for the owners § Special permit for breakfast and meal providers (hard regulations) § Official license from the Ministry of Tourism (compulsory)

Rural Tourism against a strong brand name § The strong brand name & image of Greece § The unilateral promotion policy of the Minister of tourism § The power of the big international Tour Operators and Greek hotel chains § No easy access to many areas of the country (islands or main land)

The power of the network The first results - 2005/2006 87% foreign travelers 66% visited rural or mountain areas

Clients’ profile Local market § They are not Internet users / don’t trust Internet § Direct contact & booking (language facilities) § Traveling period: bank & school holidays and week-ends § They choose only 1 place to stay § Interesting: Lately they “share” the summer holidays between mountain–country areas and the sea side (new trends & lower prices).

Clients’ profile Foreign market § § § § Individual clients - Internet users Early bookings via Internet Travel by car, or by plain (no charter flights) Average length of stay 1 to 4 weeks Traveling period from April to October Age: between 35 and 65 Higher and high social & economic status Have special interests/requests (nature, local culture and people, calm etc)

Bookings by nationality 2009 NL 1. 691% UK 1. 208% Bookings by nationality 2009 IT 1. 932% USA 2. 899% A. 242% GR. 242% B 6. 280% BU. 483% CA 2. 174% CH 3. 865% CY. 242% D 2. 657% ES 1. 449% FR 74. 638%

Families or Couples? 2009 Families or friends / Couples Families or friends 052% Couples 048%

Choice of destination: in the mountain or by the sea? 2009 Bookings: Mountain / Sea Mountain 45, 17% Sea 54, 83%

Guest Houses location: Close to the sea or close to the mountain ? 2009 Guest Houses location: Close to the sea or close to the mountain? Sea 048% Mountain 052%

Average stay per guest house 2009 5 average stay 4. 5 4. 75 4 3. 5 4. 27 4. 5 4. 17 3. 92 3 2. 5 average stay 2 1. 5 1 0. 5 0 year 2005 year 2006 year 2007 year 2008 year 2009

Early bookings 2009 On 2009, 60% of the season’s bookings had been made from January to May instead of January to March (crisis ? )

Today, the rural tourism in Greece exists and it presents a better alternative to mass tourism which has been developed during last 20 years and has started increasing seriously. New ideas, excellent accommodation quality, unique gastronomy, new technologies, environmental sensitivities, use of alternative energy, bio cultures - this is the new image of the RT in Greece. This new image is being created mainly by young people, who have decided to stay at their place of origin and to develop rural tourism in their area.