Tourism Minister Wants Hoteliers to Offer Greeks Better Prices

Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias said this week that he would be calling on hoteliers to offer discounts to Greeks after spring in order to ensure that everyone has a chance to holiday.

Kikilias told SKAI television that he had already spoken with Hellenic Hoteliers Federation (POX) Grigoris Tasios, requesting that actions be taken by hoteliers so that all Greeks regardless of income can go on vacation.

“I told the president of the Panhellenic Hoteliers Federation, Grigoris Tasios, that towards the end of spring, business owners and tourism professionals should consider offering special prices to Greeks so that we can we multiply our tourist product,” he said.

At the same time, the minister said, he had requested from tour operators abroad to offer Greek hoteliers improved package deals “in order to be able to claim better wages for employees in tourism and better prices for tourists and especially for Greeks traveling domestically”.

Greek Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias

Looking ahead, the minister said he wanted to avoid making forecasts, but ongoing efforts were being made to both open up to new markets and to mitigate the losses caused by the Russia-Ukraine war.

Among others, Kikilias said he discussed increasing tourism flows with Israeli, Romanian and Serbian authorities. He also added that the Greek tourism product was resilient and referred to the launch of direct flights from the US to Athens as well as to plans by leisure tour giant TUI to double the number of customers it brings to Greece this year which will contribute to full recovery.