Trade Associations

Four new projects for the development of Greek tourism, budgeted at 107 million euros, are underway, Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister George Nikitiadis informed an audience last month at the 11th Real Estate Conference, Prodexpo, held in Athens in late October.

The Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (HATTA) last month welcomed the news of a reduction on the Value Added Tax for accommodation facilities but at the same time expressed its dissatisfaction on the VAT increase on other tourism services.

Athenian hoteliers saw a 6.7 percent drop in hotel occupancy this past September, along with a 9.2 percent decrease in the revenue per available room in five-, four- and three-star hotels, President of the Athens-Attica Hotel Association Yiannis Retsos said last month during his opening speech at the association’s 41st Annual General Assembly.

As the tourism sector around the world came together to celebrate 2010 as the international year of biodiversity for the 31st World Tourism Day (27 September), the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (HATTA) called on all of Greece’s forces to work together for a new course in tourism.

Hotels in the Greek capital saw a 6.1 percent revenue drop for the first eight months of the year while Attica is going through two of the most difficult months of the year (September-October) that will determine the size of the losses, according to the Athens-Attica Hoteliers Association.

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 Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) is going through changes, as it will operate as an agency for the promotion of Greece abroad, Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Geroulanos told Greek journalists.

A special program to begin in Thessaloniki whereby each year a different country or region would be in the center of attention in regards to tourism and cultural issues was presented last month by Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Geroulanos.

The Culture and Tourism Ministry announced last month that it aims to encourage airlines to add routes to Greek destinations or enhance existing flights to Greece from many destinations especially in Europe.

“Athens has managed to be included among the top 20 conference destinations of the world but, from this point on, the Greek capital needs substantial assistance and significant support from the central government,” Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis told GTP last month.