Trade Associations

The Greek Government Committee recently approved the controversial planned zoning law for tourism despite reactions of environmentalists, hoteliers and civil engineers and its rejection by an expert committee.

The tourism ministry recently announced the launch of an extensive advertising campaign for the promotion of Athens set for May and June that includes a series of actions and events to take place in the U.S. and Europe.

Minister of transport and communications, Evripidis Stylianidis, and minister for employment and social protection, Fani Palli-Petralia, recently announced measures to support the tourism sector.

The Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises painted a black picture at a press conference last month and called on to the government for additional measures to support the tourism industry.

The tourism ministry aims to increase the number of major international conferences hosted by Greece in the coming years, Tourism Minister Kostas Markopoulos recently said at a conference organized by Financial Times Global Events and the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The Hellenic Federation of Hotels recently “corrected” false data over price increases of Greek hotels in 2008 distributed by Hotels.com website.

The Action for the Development of Tourism and Tourist Education (DRATTE) recently announced the establishment of the Service Quality Club that aims to improve the quality of catering services in the Greek tourism industry.

The National Confederation of Disabled People has released a guide for recreational activities in Greece that addresses accessibility and infrastructure for disabled citizens and visitors of Greek cities and prefectures (hotels, museums, restaurants, cafes and other services).

The economic crisis has already affected tourism occupations as enterprises are planning layoffs and pay cuts, according to Christos Polyzogopoulos, president of the Economic and Social Council of Greece.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, the President of the Union of Hellenic Chambers of Commerce, Georgios Kassimatis, expressed his full opposition to the legislation that foresees the conversion of the hotel chamber into a tourism chamber.