Greece Losing Over 1 Billion Euros Due To Illegal Hotels

Greece is losing over one billion euros in government revenue due to illegal hotels, the president of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, Yiorgos Tsakiris, said during a press conference held on the occasion of the 67th General Assembly of HOTREC that began in Athens on 17 October. HOTREC is  the business association representing the hospitality sector in Europe.

The illegal hotels the chamber’s president was referring to are privately owned apartments or houses that are advertised on the Internet and rented to travelers by the day.

According to the calculations of hoteliers, the number of illegal hotels in Greece exceed 50,000 in total thus depriving resources from the local community.

If the owners of the illegal “hotels” are tracked down they would each have to pay a 50,000 euros fine to the Greek state.

HOTREC’s chairman, Kent Nistrom, referred to the same Europe-wide problem, which has spread tremendously due to the Internet.

67th General Assembly of HOTREC

This is the first time the issue of illegal hotels in Europe is included on the agenda of HOTREC’s general assembly.

Other issues to be discussed at the general assmbly of HOTREC will include:

– the issue of copyright fees (for live, background music and the use of radio and television in hotel rooms)
– the issue of protection of personal data
– the problems caused by the revision of the Package Travel Directive
– accessibility

The main topic will be in regards to the further implementation of the grading and evaluation system for hotels developed by the Hotelstars Union.

The Hotelstars Union system already applies to 18 countries (including Greece) and concerns some 180 million European citizens.

HOTREC’s general assembly will wrap up on 18 October.