Holidays in Rhodes are more popular than ever this year with more than 2.5 million holidaymakers forecast to visit Rhodes in 2011. Tourism experts say holiday visitors to Rhodes will break all records this year if the seasonal trend continues. Arrivals on the Greek island holiday hotspot totalled 1.42 million, according to official figures. This year there have been 1.3 million visitors to the end of August compared to 1 million in the same period last year.

Tourism leaders are alarmed at reports that cheap flight airline Ryanair could axe out-of-season flights to the Greek holiday islands of Rhodes and Kos. Rumours of the suspension of late season cheap holiday flights to the Greek islands resorts have triggered turmoil in the tourism sector on both islands. Ryanair has dismissed the rumours as 'speculation' but fears that the airline could drop cheap flights has prompted a political row on Rhodes.

Port authorities in Rhodes are to crack down on activities that could cause problems or inconvenience to holiday visitors arriving in Rhodes. Street traders, room owners and others who pester tourists arrivals face tough action from the police as authorities try to promote quality tourism in the holiday island of Rhodes. A spokesman said there was concern at 'the phenomenon of solicitation in areas showing a high concentration of tourists during the summer peak period.

Gangs of street beggars in the historic city of Rhodes, Greece, could drive away Greek island holiday tourists, city authorities have been warned. The Rhodes Hotel Association warns that the Medieval city, a World Heritage Site and major tourist attraction, has been swamped with gangs of beggars. The beggars include children and they are deliberately targeting tourist visitors as they wander the streets of the Old Town. They want urgent talks with the city mayor and police chiefs

Tax officials have raided beach sunbed operators on a Rhodes beach in a tough crackdown on tax evasion. Officials from the Special Audit Office (SDOE) carried out early morning raids on sunbed operators on Tsambika beach on Rhodes in a bid to detect tax cheats They found that many operators had not registered their business with tax officials despite claiming sole trading rights over large areas of the holiday beach.

Passenger traffic through the post of Rhodes, Greece rose by around 12,000 last month, according to immigration officials. A total of 98,889 passed through the ports in June compared to 86,629 in the same period last year. The main reason for the rise in tourist numbers was the large number of cruise ship which tied up in the port of Rhodes bringing in an estimated 70,000 tourists.

Rhodes plans to tempt giant luxury cruise lines to use the port to launch Mediterranean cruises in an attempt to boost the island economy.
The move follows disappointment that a major cruise operator ruled out Rhodes as a suitable port to base its holiday cruise liners, after touring the port and looking at facilities there.
They said Rhodes port did not have the infrastructure needed to handle the thousands of passengers joining

Bathers in Greek Islands' holiday resorts and other Mediterranean tourist hotspots are warned to be on the lookout for a poisonous puffer fish. The poisonous fish (pufferfish) has recently appeared in the waters of the eastern Mediterranean and has a powerful toxin that can cause muscle paralysis and breathing difficulties. The sting is delivered through sharp spikes that cover the fish's body. The fish puffs itself up into a spike encrusted balll when alarmed.

Port authorities in the Greek Islands predict a rise in cruise ship visits in 2011 of up to 15% following the lifting of restrictions. Under new laws passed recently, international cruise companies can now embark and disembark passengers at Greek ports provide they sign a formal three-year contract.Up to now only Greek owned vessels could operate cruises in the Greek islands. The move could lead to an economic bonanza for cruise ship ports.

Rhodes looks poised to make a bid to extend the summer season and bring in more holiday visitors out of season. The moves were discussed at a meeting of the Association of Directors Hotel Rhodes. Members were urged to launch the initiative this year by promoting more out of season holiday visits to Rhodes in February, March and November.