Trade Associations

Initiatives for the Greek economy based on consensual approaches and a broader political, social and economic cooperation aimed at a recovery and an exit from the crisis will be analyzed at the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises’ (SETE) 10th tourism and development conference.
The theme of this year’s conference is “Tourism: a national case” and will take place at the Divani Caravel hotel 31 October-1 November.

Organized campsites in Greece will now be ranked according to a star-rating system, from one star to five stars, based on mandatory technical and functional specifications and ratings criteria, according to a Council of State decision that approved a relevant draft presidential decree.

“Once again Greek tourism was caught unaware by the imposition of the new fee, this time to Kerkyra Port that welcomes cruise ships, effective as of 1 September,” the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (HATTA) said last month in a press release.

The Tourist Protection Office of the General Consumers Federation of Greece (INKA) recorded a 36 percent increase of questions and complaints that concerned tourism services and prices during the 1 January-18 August period.

“Serbian visitors to Greece this year are expected to reach 700,000 and the aim is for that figure to increase to one million visitors over the next few years,” Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Geroulanos said last month.

“In Athens we have a problem, it is the black hole of our tourism and this is where we must focus our full attention in the coming year,” Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Geroulanos said during an interview last month.

Hotels and lodges may be off the hook in regards to a new property tax introduced to the Greek society last month by Economy Minister Evangelos Venizelos.
According to reports, the government expects to draw three billion euros from the new tax, which will be charged on and collected via the Public Power Corporation (DEH) electricity bills.

“The increase of the VAT on food catering services will not affect the taxation of all-inclusive tourism packages sold abroad,” Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos said during a press conference in late August.
The Greek Government received criticism from restaurant owners and tourism professionals during the summer once it announced a VAT hike on food catering services (restaurants, cafeterias, canteens and hotel restaurants) from 13 to 23 percent. The VAT hike came into effect as of 1 September 2011.

The recent data released by the Greek Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) seems in complete contrast with statements and figures that refer to this year’s increases in the Greek tourism sector, according to the Pan-Hellenic Federation of Tourism Enterprises (GEPOET).

“The Culture and Tourism Ministry is currently examining how to promote Greece as an all year round tourism destination,” Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Geroulanos told the Financial Times Deutschland last month.