Greece’s State-funded Holiday Scheme Made Easier

Greek Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias announced this week that a state-funded program covering holidays for lower-income families and individuals will be extended to more people and be easier to get.

In an interview to SKAI television, Kikilias said the ministry had allocated 30 million euros to go into the country’s “social tourism” scheme, which subsidizes holidays for eligible families or individuals with low incomes.

“We announced 30 million euros for social tourism starting on July 1 with the use of a ‘free pass’. Easily, quickly and with no red tape, this action is addressed to all our fellow citizens all year round who cannot afford to go on holidays and are facing financial burdens,” said Kikilias, who is currently in Romania as part of actions to strengthen tourism ties with new markets.

Under the program, eligible parties will be able to go on vacation somewhere in Greece any time of the year with a part of the costs of a stay at a participating facility to be covered by the state. Greece’s tourism subsidy scheme runs through the country’s Manpower Employment Organization (OAED).

In the meantime, Kikilias went on to add that based on feedback from his meetings with tour operators, airline companies and government authorities in Bucharest, Romanians are choosing to holiday in Greece this year.

The minister said he hopes the influx of Romanian travelers will cover the loss of visiting Russian tourists due to the war. Favorite destinations for Romanians are Thassos, Samothrace, Halkidiki, Corfu, Evia, Parga, and Lefkada. In pre-pandemic 2019, Greece welcomed 1.4 million Romanian travelers.