Minister Kountoura Sets Priorities with Kos Mayor, Sector Authorities

Kos. Photo © TakB / Shutterstock

Photo source: Kos Hoteliers Association

Greek Alternate Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura last week met with Kos Mayor Giorgos Kyritsis, the president of the Kos Marina Sevastianos Maragos and the president of the Kos Hoteliers Association Konstantina Svinou to discuss tourism related matters affecting the Dodecanese island ahead of the summer season.

Issues discussed included the introduction of a new hotel classification system according to quality (star rating), reexamining the funding of tourism development organizations, annulling a foreign ministry directive which prohibits attendance of municipalities in Turkey trade shows, the establishment of a new land use plan depending on supply and demand in a given region, providing support to 1-, 2- or 3-star SMEs, and penalizing illegal accommodation facilities.

“We don’t want to halt the momentum that has been built in tourism in the last two years,” lawmaker Manos Konsolas, representing the Dodecanese islands, told Mrs Kountoura during the meeting.

Other issues include the fairer taxation of tourism businesses, employer contributions and worker arrangements, social security contributions as well as the provision of cheaper electricity to tourism enterprises.