Greece is the word for tourists

A steep rise in bookings to Cephalonia, inspired by the film Captain Corelli's Mandolin, has sparked fears that the unspoilt Ionian island may soon be overrun by tourists.

Visitor numbers are set to overtake the 95,000 tourists who visited the island last year. Of these, 85 per cent were from Britain.

Kosmar Holidays, one of the leading specialist operators to Greece, has seen a sharp increase in bookings, which it attributes to the film. It hopes to be flying 10,000 visitors to Greece this summer, aided by the "Corelli effect".

"Greece is very much in fashion and the 'in' place is Captain Corelli's island," says a spokesman for the company.

But there are worries about the long-term effects that this new-found fame will have on an island largely unscathed by mass tourism.

Barry Cope, of Oneira Travel, which specialises in Cephalonia and Ithaca, is concerned that the island will be overrun by tourists looking for cheap fun in the sun.

"We try to offer our clients an authentic Greek experience and shy away from the resort towns of the south," he says. "They could be anywhere in the Med and have little or no character.

"But in the north you'll find the real Cephalonia. There are no sandy beaches, just shingle and pebble shores - which might well be its saving grace. The north is for people who appreciate what Greece is all about and want to get to know the people."

Although bookings are up 74 per cent on last year, Cope believes that the film's delayed release will mean its real impact will be felt next year.

But Friends of the Ionian (FoI), a non-profit organisation working to improve tourism for visitors, islanders and the environment, has been preparing for the extra tourists. And its spokeswoman, Sarah Hunt, believes the upswing in visitor numbers will not spoil the island.

"The film is going to appeal to people with at least a vague interest in culture and the environment," she says. "Also, the island needs an increase in tourism to generate more revenue. The Cephalonians don't want their island to become like Corfu or Zakynthos. And although some islanders will try to cash in on the film, most want to focus more on eco tourism and attracting more responsible tourists."

Strict building regulations and high land prices will also act as controls.

Cephalonia is the largest of the Ionian islands, yet has no traffic lights and only 34,000 inhabitants. Coming late to the package-tourism market, it remains years behind other Greek islands, such as Corfu and Rhodes, and receives only a fraction of the foreign tourists that visit neighbouring Corfu, which recorded a million foreign travellers last summer.

The island is home to the endangered Mediterranean monk seal, which has been driven away from Sardinia, Sicily and Corsica, and is a nesting ground for loggerhead turtles, which lay their eggs on its southern beaches in June. Rugged mountains grace the island and the highest, Mount Enos, boasts a unique fir forest.

- INDEPENDENT