Happy Holidays Corfu Magazine
Articles and Features (published quarterly) about Corfu and its many attractions
Vol. 1, No. 4; June 15, 2006
Readings...
Continued from page 3 - Alex Vournas
Several extra costs are involved in a crewed boat charter (from the diesel to tipping the crew). A good rule of thumb is to estimate 25% on top of the daily pricelist rate.
Although a "crewed charter" might look the same as a "skippered bareboat" on a vessel of the same size, they are not.
Advantages: You enjoy the freedom of sailing wherever you like (time and weather permitting, of course). Your boat will be fully equipped, offering facilities like satellite communication or plasma TV. For some people, the prestige of being on such a boat counts. The luxury offered can be beyond your dreams. A helicopter, jacuzzi, speed boat(s), jet skis, etc. are only some of the facilities you will find on these boats.
Disadvantages: You don't enjoy the bareboat's privacy, since there always will be crew onboard, but the truth is that, in most cases, this crew are fully trained professionals and will make their presence felt only where (and if) it's necessary.
Costs: The charter of a luxury crewed boat is the most expensive way to enjoy sailing vacations. The cost per person/per day will start from €300 (for a 60 foot sailing yacht capable of carrying 6 guests), to infinity (some Mega Yachts exceed $300.000 PER DAY). If you are looking for something more expensive and prestigious, you should consider booking to NASA for a trip to the stratosphere!
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about the author
Article by Alex Vournas of www.almiyachts.com
Continued from page 1 - Commentary
Add the fact that in 2002 the Euro replaced the Greek drachma, as it did in most EU countries. Certainly the currency switch has meant different things in each country, but in Greece, which is perhaps the least developed country (economically speaking) of the original fifteen EU member States, it has meant an increase in prices of 50-80 percent, as well as the inability to devalue the currency against the stronger currencies of Northern Europe. In short, Greece is now operating with a currency that is far stronger than its indigenous economy warrants.
Of course it is also no secret that in many Northern European countries, and particularly in the UK, real estate prices have been escalating at a never-before-seen rate. And while land and housing prices have also been on the rise on Corfu, the so-called value gap is at once apparent to anyone who might research estate valuations.
So as tourism declines, and as estate prices escalate, more and more Corfiot property owners are induced to put their homes, land, and businesses up for sale in order to meet the ever increasing costs of everyday living. Over and over again, I have encountered discouraged business owners (particularly in the tourist industry) who feel that it is just not worth the effort to continue. They see easy cash coming from foreign buyers who have 'sold out' in the UK, or Germany, or Holland, or elsewhere, and they are inclined to take advantage of the demand. Who can blame them?
On the other hand, consider the Northern European whose home has appreciated two, or three times in value (and sometimes even more), and who envisions himself living a sun-drenched carefree life on a Mediterranean island. The temptation to sell out and come to live on Corfu is very, very appealing for some, considering they can buy a house of similar quality on Corfu for one third of the price they might pay in the UK, then bank the rest of their money, which inevitably goes a lot further on Corfu than it might in Northern Europe. In ever increasing numbers, UK drop-outs, as well as many ex-pats from other Norther European countries are making the move to sunny Corfu. And I must confess here and for the record that even though I am personally not from Northern Europe, I too am among this group of relative new-comers.
What this exchange means for the native Corfiots still remains to be seen. The trend certainly has not gone unnoticed by the Greek Corfiots, and many embrace the change wholeheartedly, even as they sell off the land and assets that have been handed down to them from their fathers and grandfathers. I suppose one might call such a change in the demographic a cultural evolution. Whatever it might be called, it certainly makes Corfu an interesting place to live these days. Will the trend continue? I strongly suspect that it will. More Northern Europeans (and others) will pull up stakes in their home countries and re-settle on Corfu. At this point in time, that premis seems inevitable.
Corfu is for sale - at a bargain price! Let the word go out, and come what may. For better or for worse, all cultures and places evolve in their own way and in their own time. From the vantage point of this observer, the phenomenon remains very interesting indeed!
David A. Ross
Editor of Happy Holidays Corfu Magazine
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Stranilis is a traditional village on the way to the highest peak of the island - Mount Pantocrator. The Olive Wood House is located on the village square and is open everyday from 10:00 a.m. till 6:00 p.m.
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