The resident population of around 40,000 sees more than ten times that number in annual visitors. Most are from northern European countries, in particular the UK, Belgium, Germany and The Netherlands.

The majority of holidaymakers visit for the sunshine and pristine beaches. Its clear blue waters are a big draw, particularly during the peak months of late May through to mid September.

Temperatures during these months hover between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the island maintains a fairly warm climate year-round, rarely dropping below the 50’s. It’s comparable to the Corfu weather for example.

Today Zakynthos is becoming more widely recognized as an ecological gem. Its ecological uniqueness was downplayed in recent years, something that is changing with the times.

The balmy island is home to one of the world’s most fascinating endangered creatures, the Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta).

Careless tourism and poor development planning in past decades nearly decimated their population. Today, however, the Caretta caretta is a protected species and has become a major part of Zakynthos’ allure.

The Loggerhead is found in a number of areas, including the Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, and both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. A fully-grown adult can be 84 inches long. It is, in fact, the largest hard-shelled turtle in the world.

This marine turtle has a very low reproductive rate, and can have long periods of dormancy between fertility cycles. This biological fact is helping to accelerate the extinction of this reptile.

However, the biggest contributor to their disappearance is humans. Developers on Zakynthos gave little regard to Caretta caretta in the early years of the tourism boom. Hotels and clubs were built haphazardly along Laganas Bay in the early 1980’s. They severely encroached on the Loggerhead’s main territory, causing their nesting grounds to nearly disappear off Zakynthos forever.

Today the beautiful bay is a protected area; thanks to a 1992 European Commission directive. Funding from the European Union helped Greece staff the park. Development was curbed and contained so that the turtles could nest in safety and rebuild their population.

The area is now known as the National Marine Park of Zakynthos. Officials in Greece work hard at maintaining a balance between preserving the area and keeping tourism dollars flowing.

A code of conduct dictates what kinds of activities are allowed to take place in the area. It covers development, fishing, swimming and a number of other activities.

Officials also educate tourists on the plight of the Loggerhead and other endangered life forms, like the Sea Daffodil. It manages eco-tours within the park, allowing visitors to observe the marine reptiles without disturbing their nesting territories.

Eco-tourists may also observe the endangered monk seal, or Monachus monachus, on the western shores of Zakynthos. Sightings have become rarer, since it’s estimated that fewer than 500 remain in the entire world.

The seal is protected in the Alonissos Marine Park on Alonissos Island. Seals that drift over to Zakynthos’ shores lose their protected status.

Local groups, however, have raised a great deal of awareness about this marine mammal in recent years. It has prompted locals and tourists alike to avoid disturbing the ones who venture into the waters around Zakynthos.

Besides its endangered species’, the island is home to diverse terrain and a variety of locally grown products. Eco-tourists can observe mountains, coastal cliffs and fertile plains. They may also sample local produce like olives (and olive oil), grapes, citrus fruits and currants, including the Zante currant, native to Zakynthos.

Eco-tourism opportunities will likely increase as greater emphasis is placed on preserving Zakynthos, Greece’s flora and fauna. Zante’s campaign to educate visitors may be its ticket to ensuring the survival of its endangered plants and animals.

A map of Corfu plus other resources for those considering holidays in Corfu is available with travel site yourcrete.net

More details about Zakynthos including photographs, articles and comments from people living on the island and taking holidays there is available when visiting myspace

The head of one of the UK’s leading holiday operators to Greece has said tourists shouldn’t be dissuaded from visiting the country in spite of recent threats from a terror organisation.

A declaration sent out by urban guerrilla group Sect of Revolutionaries last week warned: ‘Tourists should learn that Greece is no longer a safe haven of capitalism’.

The group, which has already claimed the life of journalist Sokratis Giolias, went on to say that they ‘intend to turn [Greece] into a war zone of revolutionary activity with arson, sabotage, violent demonstrations, bombings and assassinations, and not a country that is a destination for holidays and pleasure’.

Managing director of Sunvil Holidays, Noel Josephides, said the company has been discounting Greek holidays in a bid to sell more late deals and that many of the major operators have been ’switching a lot of capacity from Greece to Egypt and Turkey which are a lot more fashionable this year’.

While ‘people who know and love Greece are still going to go this year’, Mr Josephides conceded the country’s unsettled political situation may make those who have yet to decide where to spend their summer holidays think twice before travelling to the popular Greek islands such as Kefalonia, Crete and Corfu.

Mr Josephides is also quick to add that there are some upsides to the situation for tourists. ‘There will be fewer people going to Greece over the summer, that means the beaches and resorts will be quieter, (and) prices about 10 per cent lower.’

The Greek government is adamant that tourists will be safe, saying in a public statement: ‘In relation to the recent events linked to the terrorist group Sect of Revolutionaries, there is absolutely no danger to tourists or the Greek public’.

For the latest weather in Corfu visit yourcorfu.net and for the Crete weather visit yourcrete.net

There is trouble in Greece, but is it causing trouble for us hedonists bent on holidaying like the gods and heroes of mythology? There have been riots in Athens, but are Byron’s fabled isles, gilded by eternal summer, still a riot?

So far, so good. I’m reclining on a silken couch gazing at the shimmering Aegean beyond my balcony windows. I have freshly made almond-paste sweets for my delectation. An obliging breeze ruffles the soft white drapery of the curtains, while a silver bucket perspires with champagne.

If I want to rest my head on my king-sized bed, I can choose from seven different pillow fillings, including swansdown. In a few minutes, a girl is coming to anoint me with scented oils, her deft fingers kneading away mortal cares.

Frankly, Helen of Sparta, later of Troy, could not have been more spoilt and even a sulky Aphrodite would be placated. If there is an economic crisis, they certainly don’t know it at the newly opened Poseidonion Grace Hotel.

The Poseidonion is on the island of Spetses, the retreat of heroes, tycoons and socialites. Agamemnon is supposed to have stopped here on his way back from Troy to Mycenae, seduced by ‘the sweet music of this fertile isle’. Given that a knife-wielding wife awaited him at home, he should have stayed.

A three-hour boat trip from Athens, Spetses enchanted Jackie Onassis, while Errol Flynn used to put into the old harbour on his yacht, Zaca.

Moreover, Spetses, which is free from noisy nightclubs and restaurants where Versace-clad blondes flash their thighs, is not a spot for Russian oligarchs.

This makes it SCCM  -  Safe for Conservative Cabinet Ministers. The sublime decadence revived at the Poseidonion is of the classical kind, poised on the cusp of opulent, but somehow restrained.

The hotel was built by a tobacco tycoon, Sotirios Anargyros, in 1914, for rich Athenians who came to every summer to shoot quail.

Modelled on the Negresco in Nice, it laid claim to be the first-ever hotel spa, so the international set who soon flocked here could enjoy sitting in small tubs full of sulphur.

The Poseidonion closed as Spetses fell from favour, but has now reopened and is fast regaining its former popularity.

Justly so. Being here is like staying in an ancient Greek palace, only more comfortable. Agamemnon and Odysseus would have felt at home. The Poseidonion’s exterior is snowy white with Doric columns.

There is nothing as vulgar as a reception, only a cool, high-ceilinged hall, with tiled floor and fresh flowers on marble stands.

There is a large library and a wood-panelled bar, where the barman mixes the best martini outside Manhattan.

And sweeping down to the sea is the terraced restaurant, fortunately less Zorba the Greek and more Le Gavroche light.

All the vegetables come from the hotel’s kitchen garden. Culinary highlights include wild artichoke soup, corn-crusted fried calamari, grilled pork loin fillet with oregano and bitter chocolate ganache with crunchy chocolate biscuits so delectable that the staff, who will do anything from arranging excursions to buying you clothes, send a large box of them to my room.

An exquisitely lit palm-filled garden, fit for frolicking nymphs and centaurs, surrounds the main swimming pool (many of the suites have their own plunge pools), while the pristine sea entices in the softer heat of the late afternoon.

After an evening dip, you can turn on a vintage juke box in the drawing room for dancing to jazz. That’s one up on the Age of Heroes.

Next stop is the island of Kythira, where Aphrodite was allegedly born. Legend has it she rose from the water and made her home there after Cronus castrated his father Uranus and cast him into the sea. To read the full article and to see the photographs in the Daily Mail’s travel section click here

For hotels in Corfu visit yourcorfu.net

It’s July, and time for families to head for Corfu for their holidays, and for those taking villa holidays here’s what the Daily Mail had to say recently:

Two of the priciest areas to rent a villa in Greece are northeast Corfu, a playground for bankers, politicians and Russian oligarchs - nicknamed Kensington-on-Sea - and near the upmarket resort of Fiscardo in northern Kefalonia.

Greek Islands Club (020 8232 9780, www.greekislandsclub.com) calculated that villas of similar quality in southern parts of Corfu and Kefalonia cost about 20 to 25 per cent less to rent.

Crete is also good value, says the company. As the most southerly part of Greece, the season is longer than in other parts of the country, so villa owners don’t feel the need to raise their prices so much in the prime summer months.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1278845/Cheap-self-catering-villa-holidays-Languedoc-Orlando.html?ito=feeds-newsxml#ixzz0sXlRxaWm

Migration hotspots New Zealand, Australia, and Canada are biggest losers in the country chart, down an average of 17% on January as the peak emigration season starts to tail away and those simply dreaming of emigration, rather than actively investigating it, loses impetus.

Oceania’s loss was the Mediterranean’s gain though, with good lifts in search activity for Greece, up 8.2%, Malta up 11.3%, Spain up 2.5% and Italy up 0.9%.

They are:

Del Cielo
Sleeps 10

There’s really no need for a watchtower — from all parts of this upmarket complex, the views across the sea towards Greece and Albania are jaw-dropping. But they built one anyway, and the little terrace on top must be one of the island’s most stirring vantage points. The airport is a half-hour drive. £5,329/£3,333

–

92 Prosilio
Sleeps 10

Oh, the view! It looks over the edge of an infinity pool, across olive groves, to the deep blue sea and the mountains of Albania. It’s Prosilio’s most spectacular feature, but the creamy interiors — offset by wood, stone and bright North African fabrics — will have you purring too. The airport is 25 miles away. £7,300/£3,950

More villa holidays in Corfu are available by visiting James Villas

Rumours of Greece’s demise as a value-for-money destination are greatly exaggerated. Greece is significantly cheaper for 2010, with prices down by 9.5 per cent compared with 12 months ago, according to the Post Office Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer, which places Greece 12th in its league table of 30 countries. This is partly because the euro is down on last year, but also because real local prices have gone down too, giving Greece an even bigger edge over its next-door rival Turkey, where the survey claims prices are a whopping 44 per cent higher than 12 months ago.

The Greek tradition of open-handed giving to strangers is still alive and kicking. When I first started walking over the cobbled mule paths of Samos, a lush, hilly island, some 30 years ago, I was touched by the kindness of farmers and villagers who would press small gifts of food or drink on me – a handful of almonds, some figs, a bowl of fresh sheep’s milk, a slice of watermelon, whatever was in season. Walking the same trails with Ramblers Holidays in October, I found this spirit – which the Greeks call philoxenia – lives on.

By island standards, Samos is amazingly fertile, with small streams that chuckle through narrow valleys choked with plane trees, neat patchwork fields bursting with tomatoes, courgettes, aubergines and – in the autumn – huge yellow pumpkins and vineyards whose muscat grapes produce some of Greece’s better island wines.

To read the full article click here

More information about Corfu is at http://www.yourcorfu.net which includes both a map of the island and the latest weather in Corfu

Corfu has much to offer, as those who have spent time there can attest. Whether you are visiting the island for the first time or returning once again, the island almost never disappoints.

Corfu lies off Greece’s southeastern tip. It has long attracted world leaders, including Homer, Napoleon and Wilhelm II, and has often been referred to as the queen of the Ionian islands. Many visitors proclaim Corfu to be the most beautiful of the Greek, if not the world’s, islands. Besides endless pristine beaches and the varied lushness of its interior, they point to the intensity of the blue sky overhead.

A big part of Corfu’s economy is from agriculture. Corfu produces a wide variety of the olives that are such an integral part of Greek cuisine. Because of the climate and terrain, the olive season lasts fully six months. In addition, the region produces many other fruits and vegetables, all of which find their way to the numerous restaurants that populate the entire island.

Since most visitors to Corfu gravitate to the eastern shore beaches and resorts, it is worth keeping in mind that the island has so much more to offer. Take a day or two to make your way from the beaches inland. If you head west, you will eventually reach the much more rugged cliffs that dominate the western shore. You will also have the pleasure of seeing firsthand the olive groves and the abundance of other fruits and vegetables. You will also spend time in the small villages that otherwise might be missed. You can’t help but absorb some of the culture and history that defines Corfu. It is a bonus that many visitors miss.

Realistically it is the beaches and resort towns that bring people back to Corfu time and again. And, in this economy, a factor that weighs heavily in the decision is cost. The good news is that you can find excellent bargains. From the most inexpensive accommodations to the luxury multi-star resorts, you can find some excellent bargains if you act quickly. Spend a few hours online and you will come away with a list of bargain travel deals to choose from. - worth checking for example are James Villas for Corfu villa holidays

A number of hotels and resorts are now offering all-inclusive prices. What that means for you is that the price quoted includes not only your room or rooms. You also get full access to the activities that are offered as well as breakfast and dinner. Some places provide all meals. Those kinds of deals can save you quite a bit even if you choose to sample some of the offsite cuisine, and you should; you usually end up ahead of the game.

Other factors that make Corfu holidays attractive holiday destination are its accessibility and the fact that it is extremely family-friendly. You can get to Corfu quite easily by air, so there is no island hopping to get to where you want to be. Another option is the frequent ferry from Brindisi, Italy.

The island does tend to be very family friendly. Many hotels and resorts accommodate children under a certain age for free, while the charge for older youngsters is somewhat less than for adults.

Moreover, if playing on the beach and swimming are not enough to keep youngsters happy, you will also find a variety of other activities. Some are monitored by hotel personnel, leaving Mum and Dad some time of their own.

For more information about Corfu, including the latest Corfu weather visit yourcorfu.net

Other Mediterranean islands covered by the same company include Majorca, one of the resources there is a Majorca weather forecast

The cost of the California wildfires this summer has surpassed 100 million dollars, and the figure continues to climb. This amount only accounts for the price of firefighters, equipment and materials. It doesn’t even take into account loss of life, property or natural resources. Add these to the bottom line, and the price tag balloons into the billions. California tourism is just one of the many casualties.

California wildfires aren’t a new phenomenon. Every spring and summer the hot, dry state contends with wildfires on an assortment of fronts. Many are ignited by natural causes, like lightning. A handful are due to other causes, like human carelessness and even arson.

This year’s fire in the Angeles National Forest has burned through over half the state’s annual emergency fire fund. The devastation continues in the park, though firefighters now have the fire about half contained.

California wildfires occupy a regular portion of the state’s annual budget. Fire is a chronic problem for the southern portion of the state. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger doubled the annual emergency fire budget in July 2009 from $69 million to $182 million. The move appears to have come none too soon.

The California wildfires appear to be taking at least a small toll on California tourism. Several fires have ignited around the state this season in addition to the Angeles National Forest fire near Los Angeles. The fires drove residents from their homes. It also drove tourists from the forest.

California tourism officials are scrambling to stave off any further financial hits from lost tourism dollars. Much effort has been put into communicating that most tourist attractions, roads, highways, campgrounds and hotels remain open. California tourism officials fear tourists may simply assume that the state isn’t a viable tourist destination at this time. Instead, they’re urging tourists to check with sources like the official California tourism website when making travel plans.

Fortunately for Californians, residents won’t necessarily be forced to bear the full brunt of the fire-fighting bills. California wildfires may qualify for federal financial assistance depending on their location(s). The fire in the Angeles National Forest is one of these. The state has also qualified for some financial assistance from FEMA, since some of the fires have threatened private homes. Over 75 homes have been destroyed by wildfires so far this year.

It’s a distinct possibility that the state may indeed burn up its entire annual emergency fire fund. Governor Schwarzenegger says that, should this happen, officials will turn to the state’s $500 million general emergency fund.

However, when it comes to California tourism, there will be no one to bail out the state or its budget. This is why officials have been quick to reassure those considering a California vacation that the state is still open for business. California cannot afford to lose tourism dollars. Tourism makes up a large percentage of the state’s economy.

Similarly in Europe, Greece has been hit by wildfires and although not on Crete and Corfu it’s possible that it has affected the number of people taking Crete flights for their holidays.

Some popular tourist attractions have indeed been affected in spite of California tourism’s assurances. The Mount Wilson Observatory, located in the Angeles National Forest, came perilously close to being consumed. Firefighter’s efforts managed to save it. However, the surrounding damage and necessary clean-up threatens to seriously hamper the non-profit corporation’s operating budget. It could take months for the observatory to recover from the devastation.

California tourism officials hope that potential tourists will not be scared away as 2009 winds down. It’s likely that most of the California wildfires will be contained in the days and weeks to come. Businesses continue to run as usual amidst the chaos and hope that their budgets won’t take a hit too. Concerned tourists are advised to phone their destinations directly for specific information about fire danger before cancelling any holidays.