Hotels & Accommodations

The political instability, Greece’s troublesome and tedious negotiations with the EU and the resultant negative media reports are taking a toll on Greek tourism, Hellenic Hotel Federation (POX) President Yiannis Retsos said in a recent interview.

Greek hoteliers are now turning to foreign markets to ensure liquidity as banks are not offering financial backing and tour operators are minimizing and delaying advance payments.

Athens proved to be an attractive city break destination in 2014 as occupancy rose in the city’s hotels by 21 percent compared to 2013, reaching 2008 levels.

The Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), has decided to fight back against illegal tourism accommodation in Greece.

The Greek ministry that oversees tourism will strengthen small and medium-sized enterprises of the sector, Alternate Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura said today in Athens during the general assembly of the Confederation of Greek Enterprises for Rented Villas & Apartments (SEEDDE).

Accommodation and food services as well as transport have performed well in the October-December 2014 period, according to figures released recently by the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT).

The second joint UNWTO/Norwegian Accreditation hotel classification report released on Thursday, identifies the common criteria among 4 and 5 star hotels, providing a reference point of international accommodation standards to assist destinations in establishing effective rating systems.

Greece was among the countries that contributed to Southern Europe’s occupancy growth last month, according to data released on Wednesday by STR Global on the European hotel industry for January 2015.

Establishing the southeastern Peloponnesian region of Laconia, which includes some of the country’s major tourist sites such as Monemvasia, Elafonissos, the Diros stalactite caves, Mt Taigetos, Mt Parnonas and Mystras, into an all-year-round tourist destination topped the agenda of a recent Laconia Hotel Association meeting.

The increase of leisure tourists, the significant rise in overnight stays and the low revenue per available rooms, summarizes Thessaloniki’s tourism performance in 2014, the Thessaloniki Hotels Association informed during its customary cutting of the Vasilopita (Greek New Year’s Cake).