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OPERATORS have accused Faliraki authorities of refusing to talk to them despite trying to clarify the legality of bar crawls and tourist behaviour.

Tour operators are furious that authorities, including the mayor’s office, have shunned their attempts to clear up the confusion over offering bar crawls following increased police activity after the death of a British tourist two weeks ago.

All operators have suspended bar crawls after five reps - three of whom worked for Club 18-30 - were arrested for organising illegal crawls.

However, all charges were dropped.

Club 18-30 overseas director Paul Little said his reps in Faliraki claimed the mayor’s office refused to talk to a Federation of Tour Operators’ official the day the first two reps - from Olympic Holidays and 2wentys - were arrested for organising bar crawls. Instead the FTO official was told to call back the next day - a bank holiday in Greece.

Little said: “There are no straight answers from the authorities despite repeated requests - no communication on excursions or bar crawls.”

Frustration is also growing with the Greek National Tourist Office for failing to set a date to meet the FTO, operators and local authorities. FTO director-general Andy Cooper said: “There has not been as much communication as I would have liked - we need to talk to the Greeks.”

However, Faliraki police chief Themis Kalamatas told Travel Weekly operators were informed what behaviour would not be acceptable at the start of the summer.

He said authorities decided to crack down on unacceptable behaviour after seeing an increase in recent years. But August has seen the worst yet, he said.

Meanwhile, a top Blackpool police officer is heading to Faliraki to advise officers there how to handle drunken holidaymakers. Measures introduced by Supt Andy Rhodes has helped transform the English seaside resort in recent months.