The ministry of finance recently announced the immediate return of Value Added Tax paid by tourism businesses (such as travel agencies and hotels) for costs on fixed assets.
Finance Minister Yiannis Papathanasiou recently assured the president of the Central Union of Municipalities and Communities of Greece (KEDKE), Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis, that a dialogue will proceed in order to find a replacement income for the local government's lost...
The Association of Passenger Ship Owners recently requested from the tourism ministry a solution for the upgrading of legislation to allow foreign-flag cruise ships to use Greece as a homeport.
After the change of the tourism minister in January, the president of the Greek National Tourism Organization, Athanasios Oikonomou, resigned from his post and was replaced by Yiannis Kofinis.
No provisions will be brought to parliament for approval of the reduction of the sojourn tax—imposed on private businesses that operate in tourist regions—before consultations are held with municipal authorities, Tourism Minister Kostas Markopoulos recently told the president of...
The planned zoning law for tourism, one of the most controversial legislations in recent years, failed to obtain the consent of the political, scientific and technical bodies of Greece as the majority of the 19 members of the National Zoning Council voted against it during a...
The Central Union of Municipalities and Communities of Greece (KEDKE) recently gave a negative response in regards to the sojourn tax reduction from two percent to 0.5 percent.
Disputes in regards to the content of the planned zoning law for tourism was expressed recently by the Greek Urban and Land Planners Association who made proposals for its improvement.
The planned zoning law for tourism was one of the key topics for discussion at Prodexpo 2008, the ninth conference-exhibition on the utilization of real estate in Greece and Southeast Europe.
After the recent homicide of an Australian tourist who was beaten to death, allegedly by a Greek bouncer on Mykonos, Tourism Minister Aris Spiliotopoulos convened an emergency meeting with officials from other ministries in the framework of setting up a Crisis Management...
The Hellenic Chamber of Hotels and the Research Institute for Tourism recently expressed to the secretary of economy and finance, Yiannis Papathanasiou, the tourism sector's need for an immediate reform of the development law.
The tourism ministry has inaugurated a public discussion for the formation of the functional specifications and quality criteria arrangement plan for Greek tourist resorts, which will lead to a new categorization system for “stars” for hotels and “keys” for rooms to let.
Transport and Communications Minister Costis Hatzidakis recently rearranged the administration of Olympic Airlines, Olympic Airways-Services and Pantheon Airways.
Tourism Development Minister Aris Spiliotopoulos recently announced his plans to lift the visa requirements for visitors to Greece from the United Arab Emirates after meeting with U.A.E Finance Minister Sultan Saeed Al Mansouri during his visit to Dubai for the Arabian Travel...
Border checks were lifted at the airports of the nine countries that joined Europe's border-free Schengen area last year. Controls on land and sea frontiers were lifted last year and those at airports have now been lifted as security upgrades have been completed.
