Drunken exploits in Faliraki hit the headlines last summer

First Choice's youth brand 2wentys has pulled out of the Rhodes resort while Club 18-30 bookings have plummeted.

This follows a crackdown by Greek police after drunken scenes and the stabbing of one holidaymaker in 2003.

And the travel industry says it is a result of the youth market's fickle, cyclical nature.

Attention focused on the resort's reputation for yobbish behaviour by UK tourists last summer.

At the height of the criticism in August, Paddy Doran, 17, died after being stabbed outside a bar.

First Choice's youth brand 2wentys will not go to the island this year, though the company's main brand, and its budget arm Sunstart, will still advertise the resort.

There was a short term car-crash mentality in Faliraki Sean Tipton Abta

"It was really obvious that people are moving away from there and to other resorts," said First Choice's Marie Wilson.

"They are quite a fickle market."

Club 18-30 spokesman Dave Smithson put his company's 70% bookings slide for Faliraki primarily down to the "cyclical" market.

The resort was popular for the third year running last year, so a downturn for 2004 was expected, he said. But increased policing and bad publicity had sped the process.

Club 18-30 has toned down its approach for young holidaymakers - cancelling pub crawls and launching a new brand for those "who crave a rest between the action", he said.

Out of fashion

He denied this was a "step back" reaction to last year's scenes in Faliraki and said the change was based on the company's "solid market research" approach.

Companies are repositioning Faliraki as a family destination - as it was before the UK youth swept in.

Association of British Travel Agents spokesman Sean Tipton agreed the changes reflected the way "resorts come in and out of fashion very quickly".

Nudity and sex-games alarmed the Greeks and the tabloids

"There was a short term car-crash mentality in Faliraki - people went out and hated it, said it was much too much.

"Even 18-year-olds who wanted to drink lots of shots had standards," he said.

Tour operators had repositioned and toned down their approach across the board as a result, he added.

But, he said, Faliraki's problems last year were caused by a minority of visitors.

And an increased police presence - with a police station open in the resort with English-speaking officers - would improve the situation this year.

Everything started to change - it was more English than a Greek place Likis Sarantis Restaurant owner

In Faliraki, Likis Sarantis runs the family Sarantis restaurant with his brother and sister.

He said he felt Faliraki had made a mistake in becoming too English and he was glad young holidaymakers were looking elsewhere.

"For me, all the (bar) owners here made a big mistake," he said.

"Before, Faliraki was Greek. When they started to come, everything started to change - it was more English than a Greek place.

"People, when they come here on holiday, want to see something Greek."

He welcomed any return to encouraging families back to Faliraki but said most people in the town would miss young custom, despite the "drinking and damage".

Meanwhile tour companies are turning their youth marketing attentions to other resorts.

New destinations

In Greece, Malia in Crete, Kardamena on Kos and Laganas on Zakynthos are tipped to be popular in summer 2004. Old favourites Ibiza, Mallorca and Ayia Napa, Cyprus will endure.

However the high price of packages to Euro 2004 and the Olympic Games in Athens will probably deter the youth market from honing in on those summer events.

"It's more likely to be their parents," said Mr Tipton.

TIPPED TO BE POPULAR IN 2004 In Greece: Malia in Crete, Kardamena on Kos and Laganas on Zakynthos Ibiza Mallorca Ayia Napa, Cyprus

Firms, and the industry association, say they hope loutish behaviour will not travel to the newly-promoted destinations.

They hope experience policed in the established resorts will deal with drunken troublemakers.

"The message will get out very quickly - 'no sorry you can't do that," said Mr Tipton.

"We hope (the police) are around and I am sure the whole industry hopes they are around because it's damaging for the industry as a whole," said Club 18-30's Mr Smithson.