Tourism Investments & Real Estate

The privatization process of regional airports was presented last month during the seventh “Aviation: Present and Future” conference held at the Infrastructure, Transport and Networks Ministry in Athens.

Six airline companies have expressed interest in the tender for the operation of the 24 state-subsidized domestic air routes to remote Greek islands (agones grammes) for the four-year period 2013-2016. According to the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority, competing carriers are Olympic Air, Aegean Airlines, Astra Airlines, Sky Express, Aeroland and newcomer Minoan Airlines.

The General Secretariat of Tourism recently launched a tender to select an operator for the port in Mytilini who would be granted the use, utilization, management, administration and operation of the port for a period of 40 years.

“This park will become a new destination in the city,” renowned architect Renzo Piano said while presenting the final architectural plans for the development of the Faliro Delta in late June to the Greek media. The plans were funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation.

The tendering process aimed at the construction and management of a new airport on Crete, in the Kasteli area, has been postponed for the third time and will now run through until 18 October, according to a recent announcement by the Transport and Infrastructure Ministry. The latest deadline was set for 7 June.

The Transport and Infrastructure Ministry recently announced a second postponement in regards to the awarding of the tender for the construction and management of the new airport on Crete in the Kasteli area. The new deadline is set for 7 June.

The Tourism Development Company (ETA) last month announced an open tender for the six-year leasing of the refectory of the former border station in Promachona.

The Culture and Tourism Ministry’s aim is to create an international conference center in the Tae Kwon Do facility and establish Athens as a potential destination for international conferences every month of the year, according to a press release of the ministry.

Prime Minister George Papandreou signed 13 agreements last month in Athens with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao that cover sectors of shipping, commerce, culture and tourism. This was the first official visit to Greece by a Chinese head of state in 24 years.

The two-billion-euro tourism resort investment Atalanti Hills in Fthiotida is in danger of not coming into effect as it is tangled in Greek bureaucracy red tape, according to Lokros, the company that has undertaken the development and management of the project.