Are Greeks leaving Athens during the games?

[Harry]

What are you all hearing? Are Greeks bailing out or are they hanging around so they can attend? Will there be Greeks in Greece? ;)

[Ziaka]

I am sure some of our Greek based members can fill us out on this.

[Athens_2004]

From polls I have seen somewhere around half of Athens (2 million) are still planning on vacationing during the games. Now I have a feeling once the games get nearer and nearer, more and more will get cought up in the fun and stay. All city employees (garbage men things like that) have to stay, the city has made insurances for that so Athens can keep moving.

Actually, i'm thinking 1-2 million Greeks will probably still go on vacation, thats about the amount of people coming to Athens at that time for the games, so hopefully it will even out. 5 million people plus 2 million foriegners might cause some problems. :unsure:

[aaronaugi1]

from what i have seen from previous games there will be alot more then 2million tourist going into Athens during the games, more like 4-5million not 2. Is Athens preparred incase this happens Athens 2004. Becuase Athens and Greece are popular tourist destinations they should alreaddy have adequate facilities. :D

[Athens_2004]

I seriously don't think 4-5 million people will go to Athens. The USA and Australia have inbeded in their peoples heads Athens is not safe, and security is a problem. This will cut down attendence a great deal I feel. Experts are predicting anywhere from 500,000 to 2,000,000 foriegn attenders. I would be surprised if it exceeded that.

As far as is Athens ready, I think they are. They have reburbishd and expanded (and built new) hotels all over Athens. Not to mention the rent an apartment service. Athens residents who are leaving for annual vacation in August (like usual) will rent their apartments out to those visiting. Also Athens will have 12 huge cruiseships as floating hotels.

I won't know for sure until it happens, but I think Athens is ready. Between Hotels, Cruiseships and apartments plus Greeks leaving Athens (at least 1 million, VERY likely) it should be ok.

[aaronaugi1]

The cruise shp idea is one that i agree with. It is an easy way to host tourist in a city withan ajacent bay or body of water, obviously Athens has plenty of it.

I can understand your view on the security and the lower level of tourist but i dont think this will ake that much of a difference, although it will bring the numbers down Athens will still be floating with thousands of tourist during the games.

I am though, annoyed, by your comment about the Americans and Australians,. I dont think there will acctully be many Australians there due to our small population. The media will hurt the amount of americans going though. If anything good publicity and advertizments should be based around european counrties and greek neighboures, these are the people most liekly not to attend the games due to terror threats

Saturday 15th May, 2004

Perth, Australia

Success has Greece shouting from the roof!

Today, Greece is celebrating its first victory in the Athens Olympics campaign. The first of two very vital archs that will support the main stadium roof and house telecommunications and lightings equipment was slowly moved into place.

The impressive engineering feat was carried out with the huge archs being slide along constructed tracks and into their positions, these archs being almost the same size as that of the Sydney Harboure Bridge. After strong critisims from media, a bomb blast, and slow construction sceduals, the organizers of the 2004 games have seized there first victory in the road to Athens.

"Thank god this progress is finally being made" Athens Organizing Committee

" We are teaching a lesson to those who doubted our intergrity" Athens Organizing Committee

FINALLY some good media attention to Athens from some Australian news papers