British tourists flock to enjoy the nightlife in Faliraki

The Rhodes resort will get its own police station manned by 20 officers, said local mayor John Iatrides.

And there will be a set of new rules including a limit of 50 people on organised bar crawls.

The announcement comes as figures show a 68% fall in young people booking holidays for next summer in Faliraki.

Last year a Leicestershire 17-year-old died in a bar brawl on the island.

Paddy Doran's death sparked a wave of arrests in Faliraki as Greek authorities began to crack down on unruly behaviour, arresting dozens of holidaymakers for being drunk and disorderly.

One British teenager was jailed for baring her breasts, and five holiday reps were arrested for allegedly taking people on unregistered bar crawls.

Thomson Holiday's managing director, Chris Mottershead, said the "whole island had been tarnished".

But 21-year-old Alex Macindoe, who wrote a travel diary from the resort for BBC News Online earlier this year, said it was a shame that bad publicity had deterred people from going.

Greek measures

Speaking in London on Tuesday Mr Iatrides, the mayor of Kallithea, the region which includes Faliraki, outlined plans to prevent similar problems in the future.

Many have been influenced by advice from police officers in the UK resort of Blackpool.

FALIRAKI'S PLANNED MEASURES Police station to open in town, manned by 20 officers A further 10 municipal officers with no powers of arrest Organised bar crawls limited to 50 people visiting four bars Police to be given lists of bar crawl participants' names Bars only allowed to serve customers one free drink Existing nightclub regulations to be more rigidly enforced Midnight curfew on music in bars to continue in 2004

Mr Iatrides said: "We have an obligation to ensure a safe and happy holiday for all of our visitors to Rhodes.

"These are not draconian measures. It's very much a softly, softly approach. We want young visitors to keep coming to Rhodes and we want them to have a great time."

The "vast majority" of young tourists, who account for a fifth of the 350,000 Britons who visit Rhodes annually, were well behaved, he added.

The island is also planning a promotional campaign which will highlight its culture, scenery, nature and food.

But those negative headlines have already had a knock-on effect with bookings in the lucrative youth market well down on last year, according to Thomson Holidays.

Mr Mottershead said: "This year it was put on the map for all the wrong reasons and as news about Faliraki escalated, there is no doubt that some families and couples were put off going.

"The youth market across the industry is 68% down for sales (for Faliraki) next summer."

Mr Mottershead said it was "only a matter of time until something happened" in Faliraki because there had been no police station there.

He said alternative use would have to be found for some of the accommodation previously filled by the youth market.

Alex Macindoe, right, will not be going to Faliraki next summer

Mr Mottershead predicted the resort would be a "quieter party town next summer".

"The message may already be getting through to young people."

He said the fall in the youth market would be counter-balanced by more families and couples travelling to Faliraki.

Commenting on the new restrictions on pub crawls, Mr Mottershead said the company would work within the restraints which had been set.

"If Faliraki feels this is the best way forward, we will follow it and work within these constraints.

"The customers will determine whether that is acceptable or not, whether they are happy with it or whether it's too restrictive for them."

'A shame'

Alex Macindoe, from Rugby, Warwickshire, spent a week in the resort last summer, but he told BBC News Online he had no plans to return next year.

"We had a brilliant time, it's a great place. But with all the bad press I think a lot of people will be put off.

"It's a shame. We were there and we know it was a great place, but people who haven't been think it's really bad."

Alex said he would consider going back to Faliraki but probably not for a few years.

"The Greek government should maybe try to use advertisements to convince people it's all right.