Hania cabbies in drive to improve reputation
In a bid to ensure that tourists are not taken for a ride, local authorities in the popular Cretan resort of Hania have forged an unusual alliance with the island’s taxi union, setting up signs with a list of estimated charges for common trips at key locations in the prefecture. «The idea is for customers to know roughly how much they are going to pay and for us to provide better services by stopping opportunistic taxi drivers from overcharging,» the president of the local taxi drivers’ union, Ilias Karapatakis, said. The initiative also aims to boost the standing of Hania, and Crete in general, during a tough time for tourism, which brings in around a fifth of the country’s gross domestic product. «Signs are going up at taxi stands and busy tourist spots with the aim of upgrading the tourism product,» said a spokesperson for the local tourism sector.
