Laskarina Holidays celebrates its 30th anniversary with a new design for its famous tote bag

Laskarina Holidays, the UK's leading tour operator offering holidays to the unspoilt Greek islands, today announced the winning design set to adorn the company's signature cotton tote bags given to all Laskarina travellers on arrival at their destination.

Set as a challenge open to all Laskarina clients, the search for the best design began last year to celebrate the 30th anniversary of this award-winning company. Established in 1976, Laskarina Holidays aims to provide an alternative to the kind of package holidays offered by larger tour operators and their cotton bags are synonymous with this philosophy over the years.

The winning design uses an image of the company's namesake: the famous Greek heroine Laskarina Bouboulina, who captained a fleet of ships during the Turkish occupation of Greece.

The design also promotes Laskarina's core values with the phrases, 'Caring for animal welfare'; 'Preserving original charm'; 'Promoting green issues' and 'Supporting local culture'.

Recognised by fellow travellers and shopkeepers from the island communities themselves, Laskarina's bags are made from natural, unbleached cotton and reduce the impact of man-made materials on the environment because they lower the number of plastic carrier bags required by shoppers. The bags have proven so popular that even non-Laskarina customers ask to receive them because of the preferential treatment they experience from shop-owners and tavernas when they use them!

Ian Murdoch, managing director of Laskarina says: "We've been overwhelmed with wonderful and insightful designs for our signature bags since the competition began. However, the final, winning design encompasses everything that Laskarina stands for today and has done for the past 30 years - responsible tourism, a personal, caring service towards its clients and respect for the islands and their communities to which we offer our breaks."

The new bags will be distributed free of charge to Laskarina customers from the beginning of the 2006 season - mid-April on Symi and Halki and from 5th May in the Sporades Islands. They are a limited edition for 2006 only.

About Laskarina:

Laskarina Holidays was created in 1976 to provide holidays to the unspoilt islands of Greece.

Laskarina knows the Greek islands, its people and customs inside out - a fact reflected by both winning the Best Travel Company category in The Observer's and The Guardian's travel awards for eight consecutive years from 1995-2003 and the current Best Holiday Company award given by Which? Magazine.

Hugely respected by the local population of all the islands they visit, Laskarina and its clients are eagerly welcomed throughout the country and are treated as part of the community as soon as they arrive.

Laskarina treats its customers as individual travellers, not package tourists. Over 50% of Laskarina's clients re-book, returning to the Greek islands again and again.

Laskarina Holidays was named after the famous Greek heroine Laskarina Bouboulina who captained a fleet of sailing ships during the Turkish Occupation of Greece culminating in her starting the Greek War of Independence in 1821.

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