Tasios: Greek Tourism on Track for a Positive 2024 Season
Greece will see this year’s tourism season wrap up on a positive note while expectations for 2024 are already high, according to Grigoris Tasios, the outgoing president of the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation (known in Greece as POX).
Tasios held his last meeting with journalists as the federation’s president on Wednesday, one day before POX was to announce its new Board of Directors.
Having been the federation’s chairman for the last six years, Tasios is also the president of the Halkidiki Hotel Association.
During his meeting with journalists, Tasios commented on the latest developments regarding Greek tourism.
Referring to this season, Tasios said that while October is expected to end with good occupancy rates in many regions of the country, in general, 2023 can easily be considered a good year for the sector despite unfortunate natural disasters and also the loss of the markets of Russia and the Ukraine.
“For example, despite the devastating fires on Rhodes, the destination bounced back very quickly after the losses of the first 15 days,” he said
When asked about the losses from the markets of Russia and Ukraine, Tasios said they have been fully covered.
“The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine do not affect our arrivals, since the nationalities of the tourists that were lost have been replaced by others, he said.
He added that 2024 is also expected to move just as positively.
“Greece is now established as a destination, both for Europeans and travelers from the other side of the Atlantic with flights being maintained for the 2024 from both the US and Canada,” he said.
Israel-Hamas war: A challenge
Touching on the war that has developed between Israel and Hamas, Tasios referred to “another challenge” for Greek tourism.
“We will lose a significant amount of Israeli tourists until order is restored,” he said, reminding that tourists from Israel visit Greece throughout the year – in the summer traveling to destinations such as Heraklion, Rhodes and Kos and in the winter opting for Ioannina, Thessaloniki and Athens.
“Arrivals from Israel in 2019 were 1 million, a number that was exceeded in 2023… Greece is among their first destinations of choice… From now on, all bookings from Israel are being cancelled,” he stressed.
According to data, international flight seat capacity from Israel amounted to some 165,000 in August alone. Last year, the arrivals of Israelis reached 490,000 up from 341,000 in 2019), representing a share close to two percent of Greece’s total arrivals.
Tasios also reminded that Greece has many tourism investments from Israeli entrepreneurs.
“No one knows what the future holds for these hotel investments that are in progress… Those that have already been completed will not be affected, although a sufficient percentage of the bookings of these units depends on arrivals from Israel,” he said.
October 28 long weekend holiday is lost for Thessaly
Another challenge Tasios spoke about was the recovery of tourism in Thessaly, following the flash floods that resulted to the region being pout in a state of emergency with damaged infrastructure, including hotels.
According to Tasios, after the passing of the first wave of bad weather (Storm Daniel), the goal was set for Thessaly’s hotels to be able to operate in time for the October 28 long weekend.
“Unfortunately Elias, the second wave, disrupted these plans and now hoteliers have their hopes set on the Christmas holiday,” he said, adding that Thessaly’s destinations should receive extra promotion in December to attract domestic travelers.
Also the chairman of the Tourism & Culture Committee of the Hellenic-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tasios said that he has proposed for the chamber’s first tourism forum to take place in Volos, Thessaly, in May 2024, so as to stimulate the local economy.
Moreover, Tasios said that the challenges for the hotel industry in 2024 will include redefining labor relations and establishing zoning and coastal regulations.
Hellenic Hoteliers Federation to elect new president
Based in Halkidiki and owner of the Philoxenia Hotel, Grigoris Tasios was elected president of the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation in 2017. In 2020, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, he was elected to serve a second term.
During his tenure as president, during the last six years, the federation saw an increase in member hotel unions, from 34 to 54.
“During these six years we supported each other a lot and developed into a very reliable trade federation,” Tasios said.
Among the highlights during his tenure is the signing of the new collective labor agreement between the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation and the Panhellenic Federation of Employees in F&B and Tourism (POEET) in 2022. According to the agreement, some 160,000 hotel employees in Greece will see their salaries go up by 10.5 percent over the next two years.
Referring to the outgoing Board of Directors, Tasios said that for the last six years the federation managed to rise stronger despite going through years of extremely great difficulties and challenges – such as the financial crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic.
“That is why we should all be proud of what we have achieved, full of confidence and optimism for what our industry has ahead… During the last six years, the hotel industry became a pillar on which Greece leans on… Our industry became a catalyst for economic recovery and a pillar for the cohesion of society,” he said.
After six years as president of the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation, Tasios has informed that he will pursue a more active role in the Greek political scene.