Welcome back everyone from this very difficult and stressful period since I last met with you in my January Newsletter.
The past 3 months has seen so much change, not gradually but applied within days, inflicting life-changing events for some, and throughout society devastating influences to ones work and family lives; sadly I fear this will be long term.
In normal periods I find I am able to keep up my monthly Newsletters in the knowledge I have data and local information that is relevant. However this period has thrown that completely into touch, I have had no control whatsoever over weekly or even daily events.
As of early March it was becoming evident that the Pandemic was an issue, but not yet a serious problem, but this started to change very quickly and I found it quite concerning. To safeguard my clients and my company, I corresponded with my early summer clients on 25 March, in an attempt to give them some advanced thoughts on their pending booking for May and June. These were based on the UK and international advice at the time, which sadly was not to be relied upon.
To protect my present clients’ bookings and deposits, I proposed this advanced thought to them. Firstly, that if they could it would be possible to roll their booking forward to later in the summer, and a few opted for this. Secondly, if they felt this coming summer would present them with a either a health issue, or the dates would not be good, they could take up their booking in 2021 instead. There would be no package cost difference and my apartment and Villa providers would give them preferential booking dates for next summer.
I must add that a high proportion of clients have been extremely supportive and have opted to roll forward their ‘Sailing in the sun’ booking to 2021. My personal thanks, along with the gratitude from the apartment providers, go to these clients who have supported us all through this trying time.
It is now 1st June, my hair is far too long and out of control, Bengy my Greek companion male dog is wondering why we haven’t left Wales yet for the drive overland to his native country. My winter cabinetry work at Dragon Design has only just been resurrected, however the current project is now some 5 months behind schedule. So it has not been easy to navigate.
So, let’s look on the bright side. With recent news that the borders with Greece and other Northern Europe countries are being opened with certain constraints, the likelihood is that the UK will be on the Greek Tourism shopping list for the end of June, and Airlines are making steps to bring back international flights. This is still conjecture, but on that basis I have applied to my UK and Italian ferry companies for a late July booking for my Camper so I can be at my Lugger base in Nidri for the 1st August. This will be in time to meet my early August families and launch the Luggers for the remainder of the season, this finishing on 24th October
To complement this approach to my revised season, I have attached a list of current availability at Geni Garden Apartments for September and October. There is still availability at the George Studio Apartments and the Gialos Apartments, details on request.
There will be a significant change, for this summer period only, to the Terms and Conditions. These changes are as follows:
- For existing clients rolling their bookings forward to dates in September 2020, there will be no request for the final payment until within 4 weeks of the commencement of the holiday.
- If they eventually go for a booking in 2021, then the final payment will be 10 weeks before commencement of the holiday.
- For new bookings now for September and Early October 2020, there will only be a 10% deposit on a confirmation of booking, and this will be refundable for a period of 6 weeks. If the cancellation is made later than this period, Dragon Drascombe Ltd will not be liable to refund your deposit. The final payment will be requested within 4 weeks of the commencement of the holiday.
Please note that our previous Terms and Conditions, against which existing bookings were made, only allowed for return of deposit within 7 days of the original booking.
This guys is the best I can do in this very difficult and stressful time.
As always, we recommend that you take out full travel and holiday insurance.
However, we all have a yearning after this lockdown and isolation to get back to the outdoors, the sea, the relaxed environment and Greek Tavernas, to walk along the traditional footpaths to isolated villages, get the ferry over to Meganissi, swimming in clear warm waters… oh yes, bring it on!
Geni Garden Availability
2 no Family 4-bed apartment, 20 September onwards
1 no Family 4-bed apartment ,14 September onwards
1 no 2-bed sea-facing apartment, 20 to 27 September
1 no 2-bed sea-facing apartment, 23 September onwards
1 no side-facing 2-bed apartment, 15 September onwards
1 no side-facing 2-bed apartment, 11 September onwards
2 no side-facing 2-bed apartment, 13 September onwards
Take a look at this availability and give it great consideration. For the remainder of this summer I have decided to make the break, and to meet you on your arrival at our home base, the Gialos Taverna, to welcome you with the traditional Meza and seriously cold Mythos.