Eight tourism vocational institutes will operate as Experimental SAEKs, introducing modern specializations and closer links with employers.
Greece is expanding its network of Experimental Tourism Vocational Training Institutes (SAEKs) as part of a broader effort to modernize tourism education and better prepare students for careers in one of the country’s most important industries.
A Joint Ministerial Decision signed by Deputy Tourism Minister Anna Karamanli and Deputy Education Minister Konstantinos Vlasis officially upgrades seven Tourism SAEKs into Experimental institutions, creating a nationwide network that now includes schools in Attica, Thrace, the Ionian Islands, Crete, the South Aegean, the Peloponnese, Central Greece, and the already established Experimental SAEK of Macedonia.
According to the Ministry of Tourism, the initiative is designed to make vocational education more responsive to the changing needs of the hospitality industry by allowing schools to introduce new specializations, update curricula more quickly, and adopt innovative teaching methods and international best practices.
The reform also aims to strengthen cooperation between tourism schools, hospitality businesses, industry organizations, and educational institutions, with greater emphasis on practical training and workplace experience.
Deputy Tourism Minister Anna Karamanli said graduates of the Ministry’s tourism schools already achieve employment rates exceeding 90 percent, adding that the new Experimental network will further align training with the skills employers need in destinations across Greece.
The announcement comes as Greece’s tourism sector continues to grapple with persistent labor shortages, making workforce development one of the industry’s highest priorities. Whether the expanded Experimental SAEK network can translate educational reform into a larger pool of qualified hospitality professionals will become clearer over the coming years, but the initiative signals a stronger focus on connecting tourism education with real-world employment.