- ELAT’s top brass met with Ministry officials about the patchwork laws for RV parking.
- The group discussed Article 27 of Law 5170/2025, which covers stops and parking for RVs.
- Officials agreed motorhomes must follow the standard Traffic Code—no special treatment for the house-on-wheels crowd.
- Protecting public and cultural spaces was a repeated priority, because nothing ruins a view like vinyl awnings.
- ELAT suggested creating formal ‘Camper Stops’ for temporary motorhome parking.
- The Ministry promised—not in writing, of course—to suggest this idea to the appropriate higher-ups.
RV Tourism Brushes with Government Approval
Nothing brings people together like the hope of legally parking a motorhome on Greek soil. This rare alignment occurred during a meeting at the Ministry of Tourism. Present were the President of the Hellenic Motorhome Club (ELAT), Elisavet Michailidou, with backing from the club’s board, and Ministry delegates tasked with keeping Greece a step ahead of the 1980s. They had a single topic: RV tourism and the small legal jungle called Article 27 of Law 5170/2025.
The Ministry, not known for speedy decisions or passionate risk-taking, saw eye to eye on regulating RV stops and parking. Here, “agreement” means everyone nodded while reminding that motorhomes must obey the Traffic Code like every battered hatchback. Apparently, “public space” isn’t just an abstract idea but a prize fiercely guarded against motorhome squatters and Greek grandmothers. Their main worry? Unauthorized campers are overtaking beaches, archaeological ruins, and those nice spots by the road where goats usually graze.
Camper Stops: Greece’s Next Modest Leap Forward
After years of RV travelers facing a “don’t ask, don’t camp here” policy, ELAT took a bold step. The club proposed a proper legal system for ‘Camper Stops,’ where RV owners could rest without the threat of a parking ticket or a lecture from someone’s uncle. Sensing little political risk, the Ministry agreed with the idea—at least in principle. It was not quite a green light, but more of a polite ‘why not?’ as the Ministry put it, “The Ministry of Tourism recognizes the need for a legislative framework to provide special temporary parking areas for motorhomes (Camper Stops) and has committed to propose this initiative to the relevant Ministries.” It seems bureaucracy still requires a paper trail for every parking spot.
The conversation, dominated by earnest nodding and a few safe promises, was wrapped with the predictable celebration of “institutional support.” Of course, everyone agreed RV tourism should help local economies—after all, someone must buy all those local olives and fridge magnets. As Michailidou stated on Tornos News, “The implementation of this regulation will contribute to developing tourism with motorhomes and strengthen local economies.” In other words, if you let RVs stay legally, the cash follows.
This meeting marked a rare event: officials, club leaders, and a hard copy of the Traffic Code were all in the same room. It’s not exactly a revolution for Greek tourism, but the kind of paperwork-driven progress that at least promises change—eventually, possibly, someday.
