Greek Tourism Bill Targets Sector Challenges, Says Minister

Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni.

Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni recently introduced a redrafted bill for the tourism sector, intended to replace the existing law and address areas that currently hinder the country’s smooth tourism development.

Titled “Enhancement of tourist infrastructure and education; modernization of the framework for the profession of tourist guides and timeshare leases; regulations for tourism bodies, and other provisions for the strengthening of tourism”, the new bill had been put up for consultation with relevant ministries, sectoral bodies, and citizens.

“The revised bill serves both short-term and long-term goals, includes targeted interventions that address important issues, and is aligned with the national development strategy,” the minister said during her speech to the Standing Committee on Production and Trade of the Hellenic Parliament.

“Through the proposed provisions, we can move closer to our goal of establishing Greece as a global tourism leader, known for its rich offerings and the sustainable development of destinations and tourism products,” Kefalogianni added.

Amendments

Among other things, the revised bill contains amendments that aim to improve the institutional framework concerning luxury camping (glamping) sites, the long-term leasing of furnished holiday homes, and condo hotels.

The bill tackles the shortage of berths in marinas by allowing for the installation of floating platforms and enabling the construction of essential facilities like accessible restrooms, crucial for ensuring the efficient operation of tourist ports.

Furthermore, the bill aims to enhance the regulatory framework for medical tourism providers; streamline regulations for spas; offer support for niche tourism sectors like wine and fishing tourism; and enhance and upgrade tourism education.

Regarding the profession of tourist guides, the minister highlighted the update of the outdated institutional framework (law 710/1977, A’ 283) through the new bill. According to the minister, the existing framework aims to effectively regulate issues related to the tourist guide profession and ensure service quality.

Additionally, the new bill modernizes the institutional framework for timeshare accommodation leases (Law 1652/1986, A’ 167) to align with European practices.

Furthermore, the bill simplifies operations for Destination Management and Marketing Organizations (DMMOs) and introduces provisions for their active involvement in promoting, managing, and enhancing destinations. Key amendments include granting tourism bodies and professionals a role in decision-making processes for destination promotion and establishing a dedicated tourism committee to strengthen public-private sector cooperation.

Kefalogianni emphasized that the provisions to the tourism bill are timely, given the positive signals for Greek tourism.

“In 2023, Greece entered the top ten most popular destinations worldwide,” she noted, highlighting a strong start in 2024 with regards to travel receipts and arrivals.

“With this bill we are planning and implementing policies and actions for Greek tourism in the coming decades,” Kefalogianni said.