Trade Associations

“We have discovered that out of 170 Greek sites, 110 of them do not provide even basic amenities,” Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Geroulanos said to the Greek press last month.

The possible increase of the VAT on restaurant services to the highest rate, at a time when tourism is trying to lead the Greek economy towards recovery, would seriously reduce the competitiveness and attractiveness of the Greek tourism product, the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) said recently.

The Hellenic Chamber of Hotels recently hailed the recent decision of the Regional Development and Competitiveness Ministry to reduce the rate for calculating the annual rent of property belonging to the public sector and used as hotels, from six percent to 4.8 percent of the property’s fair value.

Pavlos Geroulanos was among the few untouched ministers and remained at his post as Culture and Tourism Minister last month following Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou’s cabinet reshuffle.

The report on the mismanagement of the Greek National Tourism Organization’s (GNTO) funds for the 2008-2009 period was delivered to Parliament to investigate the criminal liability of the politicians who were in charge of Greece’s tourism sector at the time.

Although Greek tourism professionals were optimistic in regards to this year’s season, especially after its impressive opening in April as international arrivals that month reached the rate of 24.04 percent, their initial expectations seem to be falling short in regards to arrivals for the whole year.

During the 19th general assembly of Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE), took place also the association’s elections. Here is the new Board of Directors.

“We must give tourism a leading role in Greece’s effort for development,” the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises’ (SETE) newly elected president, Andreas Andreadis, said to Prime Minister George Papandreou while assuming his presidency during the association’s 19th General Assembly held last month.

The Mayor of Athens has embraced the Athens Every Week program and contributes to the tourism policy of the Culture and Tourism Ministry, part of which is the development of urban centers to city break destinations, according to the Greek National Tourism Organization’s secretary general, Yiorgos Koletsos.

The Hellenic Association of Professional Congress Organizers (HAPCO) recently warned representatives of the Greek tourism leadership in regards to the “dangerous” downward course of Greek congress tourism and what ever that implies for the already “plagued” Greek economy.