Laws, Regulations & Policies

Alexandros Panagopoulos, president and managing director of Superfast Ferries, told guests at last month’s Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises meeting that unless coastal shipping is liberalized, now, the entire sector would fall into decay.

After spending about five years in safety Limbo, the Greek Civil Aviation Authority recently was upgraded to the first category in flight safety by the U.S. federal aviation authority.

European airlines have launched an attack on new regulations that give passengers stronger rights to compensation for delays and cancellations.

To attract foreign investors to the tourism sector, three ministries are cooperating (Environment, Town Planning & Public Works, Tourism Development, and Economy & Finance) in an effort to develop a new legislative framework that would lift numerous and serious administrative obstacles and cut investment implementation times significantly.

Although not much came out of it, the country’s National Tourism Council met last month for the first time under the present government. But the country’s tourism minister did announce a promise a 9-point legislation for tourism development and investment.

The land use question once again was the focus of a meeting last month of the governmental committee handling Greece’s tourism sector. Public Works Minister Giorgos Souflias vowed to table legislation on land use and the designation of new areas for tourism development.

A key element of Greece’s tourist allure, the traditional wooden fishing boats that brighten many an island harbor, is facing a major threat of extinction due to EU policies and government indifference, activists warned last month.

New rules on an airline’s obligations to passengers came into effect last month. The rules change the amounts given in compensation, and redefine the circumstances where compensation must be provided.

Tourism entrepreneurs were generally positive to the government’s new investment incentives bill, which supports small and medium-sized enterprises and contains a special chapter on tourism.

New tourism legislation before parliament foresees a strong tourism ministry complete with tourism coordination activities among ministries, regional authorities and other authorities and organizations.