Hotels & Accommodations

The “Tourism for All” discounted vacation program will run as of this month until 31 May 2013, according to a decision signed last month by Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni aimed to boost the domestic tourism market.

Hotel employees signed a new collective labor contract last month introduced by the Hellenic Federation of Hoteliers after five months of negotiations and strike action by the workers.

“The political stability that has resulted from the 17 June elections and the formation of the Government already has influenced recent reservations on a positive level,” Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni said while addressing a conference last month.

Greece’s challenges and the difficulties faced by Greek citizens and the tourism industry were among the topics analyzed at the 39th European Hotel Managers Association (EHMA) Annual General Meeting held recently in Vienna.

“At the beginning of the year I referred to a particularly difficult tourism season but now, based on the rate bookings are moving in Athens, I will now refer to a collapse,” the president of the Hellenic Federation of Hoteliers, Yiannis Retsos, told tourism journalists recently.

This year’s arrivals are expected at the same level of 2009 while revenues are expected to be slightly down once again, President of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels Yiorgos Tsakiris said at a recent press conference.

The Hellenic Chamber of Hotels last month submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security that aims to modernize the subsidized social tourism holiday programs—that secure domestic tourism—in an environment of free competition.

Greek Manpower Employment Organization (OAED) has announced a four-month subsidy program for
workers of seasonal hotels, provided they retain their job positions during the period the hotel is closed.

The former La Mirage hotel that overlooks Omonia Square is to be converted into a student hall of residence, according to a recently announced joint initiative by the Environment Ministry, the City of Athens and the Hellenic Air Force pension fund that owns the premises.

The Greek tourism sector was shocked and deeply saddened last month when the Daskalantonakis Group announced the permanent closure of the historic Macedonia Palace hotel as of 27 December 2011.