New Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis presented at the Greek Parliament on Sunday his ministry’s strategic objectives and how these will be achieved in the framework of the newly elected government’s declarations.
The Minister of Tourism pointed out that the circumstances that favored Greek tourism during the last few years have come to an end and listed five axes, along which the leadership of the Ministry will move to improve the competitiveness, quality, authenticity, and sustainability of its product:
- The improvement of infrastructure in the country along with the easing of the licensing framework to attract tourism investments.
- Boosting the accessibility and interconnectivity of Greece by increasing air connections along with other means of transport such as upgraded yachting marinas.
- Offering quality and attractive experiences to visitors and widening the jurisdiction of the Tourist Police.
- Promoting social and environmental awareness and responsibility.
- Re-designing its tourism brand by enhancing Greece’s competitiveness through the reduction of the VAT on the travel package to 13% from 24% and then eventually to 11% by late 2023.
A special mention was made to the Airbnb platform, with Mr. Theoharis stressing that short-term leases certainly have a place on the table for tourism discussions, but they also have obligations. “Illegal actions such as tax evasion will not be tolerated,” he pointed out.
Moreover, the Minister announced the establishment of a Regional Tourist Board so that the Regional Chiefs of Tourism will meet regularly with the leadership of the Ministry in order to better coordinate their actions.
Finally, Mr. Theoharis on Sunday revealed the newly elected Greek government’s tourism strategy which will aim for sustainable tourism development through balancing supply, demand, and creation of new infrastructure in an effort to combat over-tourism.
Source: Tornos News
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