Greek Tourism Businesses to Pay Reduced Rent Due to Covid-19 Lockdown

Greece’s tourism businesses, including hotels and travel agencies, are among those eligible for a reduction in two monthly lease payments due to the country’s lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus (Covid-19).

The measure, announced initially by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in parliament, concerns an 80 percent reduction to the January 2021 and February 2021 lease payments and will apply to more than 200,000 Greek businesses that were forced to remain closed by state order after December 16.

According to an announcement by the Greek Finance Ministry, tourism businesses – hotels, travel and tourism agencies and transport services – are also eligible as they are considered to be particularly affected by the ban on travel between prefectures.

Greek Tourism Confederation’s (SETE) President Yiannis Retsos applauded the finance ministry’s announcement.

“The response of the Finance Ministry and (minister) Christos Staikouras was immediate and effective to the reasonable request of tourism. Tourism businesses may not have been formally closed by state order, but they are actually not operating due to the lockdown and ban on movement from prefecture to prefecture,” SETE’s president said on Twitter.

Other businesses eligible for the rent reduction are cinemas, cultural businesses, restaurants, nightclubs, gyms and all shops regardless if some operate under the “click-away” method.

According to the announced measure, the government will cover 60 percent of the agreed upon monthly rent so that property owners are not faced with additional losses. Businesses will be required to pay 20 percent of the rent owed.