Greek Consumers’ Protection Center: Tips for a Carefree Holiday

With the tourism season at its peak, Greece’s consumer body KEPKA (Consumers Protection Centre) recently issued a set of guidelines that advice tourists to be on the lookout for holiday scams.

The guidelines aim to protect holidaymakers from tourism and travel professionals that take advantage of the peak tourism season and instead of offering quality services, instead overcharge and offer “fake” deals that among others contribute to tax evasion.

Consumer complaints are reported every day to KEPKA about the quality of F&B and accommodation services provided to them during their holidays in Greece.

Tourists on Mykonos island, Greece.

Therefore, according to KEPKA, tourists should:

– always check how clean the place they intend to eat or stay is
– always ask for a menu with a price list before ordering at a restaurant. (The price list must indicate, in addition to costs, certain quality featured of the offered products, such as if they are fresh or frozen, imported or local, etc.)
– always ask for a receipt and to check the charges against the price list before paying
– do not pay for cover charges (they have been abolished) or for any other food or drink served to them if not ordered
– to leave a restaurant they have selected if the owner is unwilling to comply with the aforementioned legal rules or if the prices seem extremely high

With regard to staying at a hotel, apartment or airbnb rental, KEPKA advises consumers to make sure that regulations and rules are followed. If not, tourists should refuse to pay the agreed amount and file their complaint at the nearest police station.

Tourists can also contact KEPKA tofile complaints at  2310-233333, weekdays between 09:00 – 14:30.