His road to records Greek tourism it is not paved with rose petals, but it also has many “thorns” that must be pulled out if the sector wants to continue to play a leading role in the Greek economy and in international competition.
This view is shared by both the government and the tourism industry, although each side may have its own priorities on individual issues, as what happened yesterday at the general assembly of YOU ARE during a private and public meeting in the presence of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
During the discussion between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the President of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) Yiannis Parashis, in the afternoon at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, all the “thorns” of Greek tourism were examined .
The need to create a sustainable model is the first topic on the agenda of the government and the tourism industry. There is a growing realization on all sides that the model our country has followed so far requires corrective action.
The example of Mykonos and Santorini
The examples of Mykonos and Santorini, which again this year show negative rates of -20% and -13% respectively, according to sector players, highlight the need for a transition towards more sustainable solutions.
We want sustainable development, we must combine the dynamics of development with the imposed restrictions that we must put in place to protect the product mainly in some sensitive destinations like the islands, said Mr. Mitsotakis and spoke about the solutions that will go to- beyond the electoral cycle. Let’s not come to 2030 or 20235 and have caused damage to our product itself on the altar of temporary profit, Mitsotakis said.
Investments in quality and sustainability involve private and public sector investments, which also involves improving infrastructure. A subject that the SETE places high on its agenda. The Prime Minister believes that we must “direct the major investment interests”, as is the case for example in the country. better to wait for an existing building than to build a new one” as well as “in new destinations in the rest of Greece, within the framework of cultural tourism, mountain tourism”, etc.
Surcharge
But according to Mr. Parashis, tourism investments depend on a series of issues that directly affect their attractiveness and competitiveness, the taxation of the sector, legislative regulations on short-term rentals, the use of community resources, etc. The increase in tourism income has led to a trend towards an increase in taxation of the activity, he declared, focusing particularly in his interview with the Prime Minister on the need to reduce employer contributions so that Mr Mitsotakis will respond as soon as the budget is put in place. conditions permit, the first reduction will concern employer contributions
Hire Greeks
Another thorn is the lack of human resources, where Mr Mitsotakis made it clear from the start that increased revenue from tourism should be distributed fairly among all. The government’s first priority is to increase wages, he said, welcoming that Turkish industry is also evolving in the same context “because it is obliged to invest in workers.”
The Prime Minister focused on working conditions and respect for the law and asked “that we both be equally strict on this issue.” If the search for human resources continues to prove more complex, there are two ways to increase the participation of national potential and this should be our first priority, for example: with more women, people with disabilities, retirees, etc. . and to examine seasonality issues from another angle. This is a conversation we need to have honestly.
Responding to the demand from the tourist world for the transfer of foreign workers, he stressed that these have a complementary and auxiliary nature. “We are open to recalls but always complementary to the country’s workforce. It is unfair to say that young people are not interested in tourism.” For the Prime Minister, an effort must be made to increase youth employment in tourism. Young people should consider a career in tourism. We need to invest in education and he pointed out significantly: “If we want to say that we are globally competitive in tourism, we must also. to be globally competitive in the provision of education”.
Short measures for short-term rentals
Finally, regarding the other “big thorn” in tourism, short-term leases, Mr. Mitsotakis declared that this is also a question of housing policy since he recognized and described a framework of interventions regarding the specifications “that these houses should have but perhaps also some additional restrictions that must be imposed to enter, I say perhaps because this needs to be studied in depth”. But he was quick to clarify that the government was not ready to make final decisions.