Trade Associations

The need for cooperation between organizations, museums and institutions to achieve the better promotion of Thessaloniki domestically and abroad was underlined at a recent tourism conference organized by the Thessaloniki Tourism Organization and the Science Center and Technology Museum Noesis.

The prolonged recession of the Greek economy and the country’s unpopular austerity measures that have included tax hikes, salary and pension cuts, high income tax payments and soon the second instalment of the infamous “haratsi” (special property tax) will most likely keep Greeks home this summer.

An interest in holding international conferences in Greece has been recorded following a sudden increase in cancellations in May due to the political and economic instability of the country, Greek press reports said recently.

The “highly disappointing” figures of hotel occupancy in the Greek capital were confirmed late June by the Athens-Attica Hotel Association in collaboration with GBR Consulting.

The Tourism Ministry and the City of Athens last month said they would join forces and soon announce measures aimed for the tourism development of the Greek capital, which sees its arrivals tumbling year by year.

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.

“Marketing Greece,” the public-private marketing company that will aim to promote Greek tourism on an international level, will be the key topic of discussion at the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises’ (SETE) 11th tourism and development conference this autumn.

Following the parliamentary elections on 17 June that were marked by the creation of a three-party coalition government, new Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras announced the re-establishment of an independent Tourism Ministry.

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.