GTP’s Guide to Tourism Education in Greece

Tourism, one of the world’s fastest growing industries and major source of income for many countries, is a people-oriented industry and thus provides many jobs that have helped revitalize local economies.

For Greece, specifically, it would seem that almost everyone is counting on the great “steam engine” of the Greek economy, its tourism, as possibly the most important step to recovery for the crisis-stricken country, now in its sixth year of recession.

Data from the World Travel and Tourism Council has shown that tourism accounted for 16 percent of Greek GDP in 2012, making it a central pillar of the country’s economy alongside agriculture and shipping.

According to the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE), tourism, directly or indirectly, employs over 680.000 people in Greece as the sector creates jobs that include a wide range of activities and spans across different levels of knowledge and expertise, especially for young people.

Tourism Education

The tourism industry offers an extremely wide variety of professions to choose from in the sectors of Aviation, Food Service, Hospitality, Maritime, Tourism Management, etc.

In Greece, tourism education is provided in all education levels after compulsory education by a multitude of institutions that fall under the public and the private sector.

In the area of tourism education and training the following education institutions, whether private or public, operate in Greece: Universities (AEI, TEI), Advanced Schools of Tourist Education (ASTE), Colleges, Tourist Guide Schools, public/private Institutes of Vocational Training (IEK), Centers of Vocational Training (KEK), Vocational Education Schools (EPAS) and Laboratories of Liberal Studies (EES).

The role of the Greek Tourism Ministry

•    In 1937, the first government-run tourism education organization was established in Greece under the name “School of Tourism Professions”
•    In 1956, the first School of Higher Tourism Education in Rhodes (ASTER) was founded
•    In 1988, the two-year schools operate as Technical Professional Schools (TES) and in 2000 they are converted into secondary education schools (TEE). Since October 2006 they operate as Vocational Education Schools (EPAS)
•    In 2002, the tourist guide schools are transferred to the Organization of Tourism Education and Training (OTEK) and in 2003 the government establishes public Institutes of Vocational Training (IEK)/OTEK
•    Today the services of OTEK are provided by the Tourism Ministry.

Pursuing a career in the Greek tourism industry

Air – Aviation – Airline studies (a range of education titles from diplomas and certificates to Master degrees)

Majors: Pilot, Cabin crew, Airport Staff, Aircraft Maintenance, Airline customer service, Aeronautics
Private education institutions: A.T.C Airline Training Center, AKMI, AST-Airlines Services Training, JETSTREAM Aviation Academy, Mega Airline Studies, OMEGA, OMEGA Airlines Academy, PASTER
Public education institutions:  University of Patras (School of Engineering, Department of Mechanical Engineering & Aeronautics)

Events Management studies (a range of education titles from certificates to Bachelor with Honours degrees)

Major: Events management
Private education institutions: BCA, City Unity, SITEC

Food & Beverage, Food Service studies (a range of education titles from certificates to Bachelor with Honours degrees)

Majors: Chef, Food & Beverage Management, Bar & Restaurant Management, Bartending, Sommelier, Culinary Arts Management, Food Service Management, Cooking Art Technician, Bakery – Pastry Chef
Private education institutions: ORIZON, AKMI, BCA, Chef d’Oeuvre, City Unity, De Stijl Varosi, DELTA, DOMI, Etoile by Les Chefs, LE MONDE, OMEGA, PASTER, PRAXIS, SITEC, VERGI, Volos Municipality Vocational Training Institute, WSPC, XYNI
Public education institutions: Institute of Vocational Training in Athens, Institutes & Schools of Vocational Training in Anavissos, Macedonia, Heraklio, Corfu, Rodos, Peloponnese, EPAS (Vocational School) in Galaxidi and Thrace

Hospitality studies (a range of education titles from certificates to Master of Business Administration degrees)

Majors: Hotel Management, Hospitality Management, International Tourism and Hospitality Management (ITHM), Hospitality & Tourism Management, Hotel Operational Management, Reception & Hospitality Manager, Hospitality and F&B Specialist.
Private education institutions: Aegean OMIROS, AKMI, BCA, City Unity, DELTA, DEREE, DOMI, ECTS, Etoile by Les Chefs, IPPOKRATIOS, LE MONDE, AKMI Metropolitan, OMEGA, ORIZON, PASTER, PRAXIS, SITEC, VERGI, Volos Municipality Vocational Training Institute, XYNI, ZITA
Public education institutions: Rodos Advanced School of Tourist Education (ASTE), Agios Nikolaos Advanced School of Tourist Education (ASTE), Technological Educational Institute of Athens (Economy & Management School), Institute of Vocational Training in Athens, Institutes & Schools of Vocational Training in Anavissos, Macedonia, Heraklio, Corfu, Rodos, Peloponnese, EPAS (Vocational School) in Galaxidi and Thrace

Shipping & Maritime studies (a range of education titles from certificates to PhD)

Majors: Shipping Specialist, Transports & International Trade, Sea Science, Nautical Engineering, Sea Transports
Private education institutions: DEREE, IPPOKRATIOS, BCA, New York College, OMEGA, OMIROS, PASTER, PRAXIS, XYNI
Public education institutions: University of the Aegean (School of Business Administration, Department of Shipping Trade & Transport), University of Piraeus (Department of Maritime Studies), National Technical University of Athens (School of Naval Mechanical Engineering)

Spa studies

The education institutions for spa studies offer certificates and Bachelor of Science (Honours) Degrees as education titles.
Majors: Thalassotherapy-Spa Specialist, International Spa Management
Private education institutions: AKMI, DELTA, SITEC
Public education institutions: Institute of Vocational Training in Athens, Institutes & Schools of Vocational Training in Anavissos, Macedonia, Heraklio, Corfu, Rodos, Peloponnese

Taxi studies

The Omiros Institute of Vocational Training (IEK) is the only education institution in Greece that offers a major for the taxi driver profession. Omiros offers a vocational training certificate as an education title to students that graduate as taxi drivers.

Travel Agent studies (a range of education titles from certificates to HND’s-Higher National Diploma’s)

Majors: Travel Agency Staff, Travel Agency Executives, Tourism Management – Travel Agent, IATA/UFTAA Foundation Diploma, Sabre GDS.
Private education institutions: A.T.C Airline Training Center, AKMI, AST-Airlines Services Training, DELTA, IPPOKRATIOS, LE MONDE, Mega Airline Studies, OMEGA, OMEGA Airlines Academy, PASTER, PRAXIS, XYNI
Public education institutions:  Institute of Vocational Training in Athens, Institutes & Schools of Vocational Training in Anavissos, Macedonia, Heraklio, Corfu, Rodos, Peloponnese

Tourist Guide studies

The (public) Tourist Guides Schools in Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklio and Corfu are the sole education institutions in Greece that offer studies for the tour guide profession. Students that complete their studies receive a Higher National Diploma (HND).

NOTE: Earlier this year, the Greek Tourism Ministry announced the liberalization of the tour guide profession in accordance to Greece’s European obligations and launched fast learning programs (seminars) to history and archaeology university graduates. Those who complete the three-month seminars are granted tour guide certification. For details, press here.

Tourism Management studies (a range of education titles from diplomas to Master of Business Administration degrees)

Majors: Hospitality Management, Leisure & Tourism Management, International Travel & Tourism Management, Economy & Politics of International Tourism, Travel & Tourism Management
Private education institutions: AKMI Metropolitan, BCA, CITY, City Unity, New York College, SITEC
Public education institutions: University of Piraeus (Department of Business Administration), Technological Educational Institute of Epirus (Igoumenitsa Division), Technological Educational Institute (TEI) of Thessaloniki, Crete, Thessalia, Patra (Economy & Management School)

NOTE: The University of the Aegean, School of Business Administration, currently offers an e-learning course on Tourism Business Organizing & Management. Students who complete the course will receive a training/qualification Certificate. For further information (in Greek), press here.

The Bologna process: setting up the European Higher Education Area

Higher education in Europe began to undergo a deep transformation since 1999 through reforms based on a joint declaration of the European Ministers of Education.

The reforms, known collectively as the Bologna Process, aim for participating countries to uproot their traditional systems of education.

For example, the Bologna process is in favor of a two-tiered model based on bachelor’s and master’s degrees, promotes a standard credit system and ensures high quality teaching.

However, despite the steady progress made in implementing many of the Bologna reforms, degree structures among the signatory countries remain largely divergent. Greece, for example, has yet to comply with the two-tiered system, the founding of private universities and a standard credit system.

As a result, among other things, higher education graduates face difficulty in choosing a university abroad as conditions between educational institutions still differ considerably.

For further information on the Bologna Declaration, press here.