Happy Holidays Corfu Magazine
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Vol. 1, No. 3; April 15, 2005
"All Inclusive" Holidays vs. Independent Excursions
While it has been the recent trend on Corfu for tour operators to book 'all inclusive' holidays at large resorts, many smaller independent hotels and restaurants on Corfu feature excellent and distinctive service for the independent traveler. Visit and bookmark the following sites for future reference.
Quality equals Quantity
continued from page 1
Yet, when one takes a close look at the state of repair exhibited by most of Corfu's tourist villages (yearly upgrades notwithstanding), it is obvious that not nearly enough has been done over the years to keep pace with other Mediterranean resorts. Add to this problem the fact that it has become both easy and cheap to fly virtually anywhere for one's holiday (including Florida), and the reason for Corfu's shrinking tourist industry becomes more and more obvious. I recently browsed through a tourist brochure advertising various resorts in Turkey, and I was actually quit astounded by the apparent disparity in quality. Resort areas such as the Balearic Islands, the Algarve, the Canary Islands, and the coastal areas of Spain and France offer accommodations and amenities that far surpass those of Corfu, and sometimes the obvious just cannot be denied: business owners on Corfu have often failed to reinvest in its many and varied facilities, and the age and the wear are not only beginning to show, but have become painfully obvious. One obvious conclusion to this neglect can be stated plainly in a rhetorical question: Why would one come to Corfu for timeworn accommodations and facilities when he can enjoy up-yo-date ones for the same price elsewhere?
There are, however, notable exceptions to this rather prolific decline in quality, and not so strangely, those establishments continue to thrive even in Corfu's declining tourist market.
One such establishment is the Hotel Telesilla in Kontokali. Even though this once thriving tourist village fell upon hard times some years ago, the Hotel Telesilla has bucked the trend by maintaining high standards at attractive prices. What's more, the hotel owners do not rely on tour operators who pay them a pittance for each bed to fill their rooms, they operate independently on the Internet and by other means of advertising. The obvious quality is no unnoticed by guests, and patrons often appear year after year at the hotel.
Spiti Prifti Hotel located between Kontokali and Gouvia is another excellent example of how quality equals quantity. This hotel has been fully renovated to modern standards. A beautiful garden is kept up year round, a first-rate restaurant is operated on premises, and a large swimming pool and bar area is an attractive area for guests to relax. Again, this hotel depends only minimally on tour operators, as they maintain an extensive online booking operation.
Even as the trend toward all-inclusive holiday packages continues to gain in popularity and momentum, the appeal of an independent, family-run establishment (be it hotel, restaurant, shop or other service) is not lost on Corfu. While it is certainly true that many such establishments need to seriously consider updating, it is also true that many have done just that, and the facilities of these independent establishments often out-class the larger, more institutional ones in warmth and hospitality if not in glitz.
There are many such establishments all over Corfu, yet it becomes evermore difficult for tourists - especially first-time tourists - to find them, as the agencies in various northern European counties promote the big hotels' all-inclusive packages. This seems a shame to me, as I have personally always enjoyed the hospitality and more personal touch of smaller, local establishments. These days it takes a bit of effort to uncover these gems, but for those who do, the rewards are often splendid. The Internet offers travelers more opportunity than ever before to locate such establishments, from the medium-size hotel to the corner taverna, and those who avail themselves of this medium are often the same visitors who return year after year. And the reason for their loyalty is simple: they have a wonderful time interacting with local people while enjoying a quality experience when it comes to bed and board.
All this is not to say that one might not be disappoint (sometimes profoundly so) by Corfu's independent tourist facilities: as stated, there is quite a disparity in quality compared with some other popular resort area, but even as this situation is far-too-pervasive, it is not, shall we say, all inclusive. And many of Corfu's business owners who have an eye for quality seek to get out the message: If you come to Corfu as an independent traveler seeking a quality experience, it is indeed here to be found!
It is, of course, an open question as to whether those establishments that are in need of updating will indeed
pay heed to the necessity of modernization, or whether they will continue to rest on their laurels. As many longstanding businesses have failed in recent seasons, it seems not only prudent but necessary that they do so. It seems obvious to this observer that quality equals quantity, and that a significant investment in the future of Corfu's independent tourist facilities is long overdue. The island is a naturally beautiful place, and its establishments for visitors should be no less so.
~David A. Ross
Kontokali, Corfu
