Greek Hoteliers Prepared for ‘Good’ However Difficult Tourism Season

Hellenic Hoteliers Federation President Grigoris Tasios.

Though demand for journey to Greece this season is on the up, the nation’s tourism sector’s post-Covid restoration should cope with challenges, in line with Greek hoteliers.

“We’re prepared to present the battle of the season, to take advantage of the momentum gained final 12 months as a result of we’re totally conscious of the significance of tourism for the financial system,” the president of the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation, Grigoris Tasios, mentioned on Wednesday.

Talking through the federation’s basic meeting held in Athens, Tasios underlined that he expects 2022 to be a “good tourism” 12 months.

Nonetheless, he mentioned the excessive demand and enhance in arrivals anticipated in 2022 doesn’t essentially imply a restoration for lodge coffers because the heavy blow of the pandemic has left many professionals this 12 months with dues to the State and banks.

Tasios added that following the shock of the pandemic, professionals at the moment are going through a world “tsunami” of value will increase in power and merchandise, at a time when a struggle is happening in Europe and the scenario is deteriorating day by day.

“In the mean time, the working value per room every evening has elevated by 25 to 30 %,” he mentioned.

In the meantime challenges stay within the type of workers shortages and unfair competitors lodges are going through from Airbnb-type leases in Greece.

Brief-term leases: Inadequacy of laws a serious problem for hoteliers

Talking through the basic meeting, the president of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), Yiannis Retsos, referred to the unfair competitors lodges are going through from Airbnb-type leases in Greece as a consequence of sure “loopholes” within the present short-term rental laws.

Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) President Yiannis Retsos.

“Nobody cannot deny that short-term rental lodging is a world development as there may be demand for this market,” Retsos mentioned, highlighting that tourism professionals will not be rejecting that short-term rental lodging is part of the tourism product.

“Nonetheless, as of late now we have reached a scenario the place Greek and overseas corporations at the moment are showing in all areas of Greece, primarily in giant city facilities, and shopping for whole buildings that then perform as lodges with full companies,” SETE’s president careworn.

In accordance with Retsos, the present short-term rental laws in Greece have to be revised so as to hold the lodge business aggressive.

“That is additionally an important loss for the federal government, for the financial system… Apart from the unfair competitors there may be additionally a lack of insurance coverage contributions, there may be undeclared work… We’re 100% towards this and can combat it as a lot as we will… The difficulty is big and in addition has to do with the standard of the tourism product and safety of shoppers,¨ he mentioned.

SETE’s president added that sector professionals not too long ago despatched the federal government a brand new set of provisions that appropriate the present laws.

Greece the one Western nation that has not regulated short-term rental exercise

Echoing Retsos, the president of the Hellenic Chamber of Motels, Alexandros Vassilikos, additionally referred to as for a transparent and extra outlined nationwide laws.

Hellenic Chamber of Motels president Alexandros Vassilikos.

“The lodge business has by no means been towards growth, on this case the sharing financial system… Nonetheless, now we have been specializing in this problem since 2012 and I need to say that we’re at present the one Western nation that has not regulated this exercise,” Vassilikos mentioned.

Additionally current on the basic meeting was the governor of the Impartial Authority for Public Income (AADE), George Pitsilis.

Though he didn’t straight tackle the difficulty of corporations working complete condo buildings as lodges, AADE’s head knowledgeable that checks can be carried out within the context of Greece’s cooperation with the three main short-term rental operators (Airbnb, Reserving.com and VRBO).

“All listings of houses/residences that wouldn’t have a property registration quantity (AMA) can be faraway from the platforms by the top of the 12 months,” Pitsilis mentioned, including that AADE can even be checking platforms that hire out luxurious villas for the short-term.

Impartial Authority for Public Income (AADE) Governor George Pitsilis.

“AADE is working to set the boundaries between the lodge sector and the short-term rental market… We’re stepping up our checks as a result of it is very important guarantee wholesome competitors,” Pitsilis mentioned.

Employees shortages

The intense workers shortages the tourism business is going through was additionally included among the many challenges of the hospitality business.

Underlining that the principle cause younger folks don’t need to work in tourism is beacuse the employment is seasonal, SETE’s president, Yiannis Retsos, referred to as for a strategic method to the difficulty.

“We’d like initiatives by the personal sector in cooperation with the federal government in the direction of mitigating seasonality… We additionally want employment insurance policies within the winter for these staff,” he mentioned.

It’s famous that for this 12 months and for the primary time, in efforts to handle workers shortages in tourism, the federal government has invited sector companies to declare vacant positions for the June-August interval to the Public Employment Service (DYPA).

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