THE Tourism in Greece and the new model that the government is trying to form is at the center of the debates in Parliament.
“We are implementing our programming commitments and laying the foundations, at the legislative and institutional level, for the formation of a new tourism model, based on competition, innovation, and diversity in the tourist product offering in terms of quality and sustainability”, said the Deputy Minister of Tourism Eleni Rapti, in the second reading of the bill “Strengthening tourist infrastructure and tourist education, updating the framework for the practice of the profession of guidelines and timeshare rentals, regulations of tourist operators and other provisions to strengthen tourism”.
Eleni Rapti said that with the proposed provisions the institutional framework for special forms of tourism such as Medical Tourism, Spa Tourism, Wine Tourism is strengthened, the operational issues of Destination Management and Promotion Organizations and the Hotel Chamber of Greece is regulated, with the aim of more efficient operation of them and the Institutional framework of the profession of guides is modernized. He pointed out that the Definition of the Tour Guide was changed in relation to the original regulation as it was introduced in the Public Consultation, taking into account the positions of the Panhellenic Federation of Tour Guides. “With the new Definition, the profession of the tour guide is clearly defined and distinguished from the work of the councils, with the aim of protecting the tour guides themselves and to ensure the quality of the services provided of tourists,” said the Deputy Minister of Tourism and he added that upgrading tourism education is a strategic goal of the government. “Our goal is to equip our students with real skills and knowledge, which are needed in today’s job market. In this way, we improve the country’s tourism product, but also ensure the immediate absorption and professional rehabilitation of our students, who are also future professionals”, said Mrs. Rapti.
Tourism education
The deputy minister also responded to the parties that accused the government of not strengthening tourism education. “We made 8 IEK Tourism of the Ministry of Tourism to Schools of Higher Vocational Training, SAEK Tourism”, said Ms. Rapti and added: “We established the first experimental SAEK Tourism in Greece based in Perea Thessaloniki. We included in the National Action Plan 2024 the drafting of a study to evaluate the possibility of using the buildings in education unit of the Ministry of Tourism. We implemented 4 rapid training programs in the tour guide profession in collaboration with the University of Athens, University of Crete, Ionian University and Aristotle University and added 200 new tour guides in the labor market. We are continuing the timely start of practical training for 2024. We are implementing for the first time certified first aid seminars, in collaboration with EKAV, for students in all our schools We hold seminars on sexual prevention and child abuse for students in all our schools and future tourism professionals. We have purchased, through an international competition, new books for ASTE students. For the first time, we conducted a survey of needs and proposals surrounding the tour guide profession with the participation of tour guide agencies, local government agencies, universities and tourism agencies. We are preparing for the implementation of the Recovery Fund seminars in the tourism sector worth 45 million euros.
Incentives for investment in new tourist infrastructure
“We aim to upgrade and modernize tourism infrastructure, provide incentives for investment in new tourism infrastructure and upgrade existing ones, but also tourism education, renewal and -modernize the curriculum of tourism schools and introduce new special courses adapted to the needs made in recent years”, said the rapporteur of New Democracy Sevi Voloudaki. The ND MP mentioned the new certification procedures for the guides, the provisions for continuous training, which are “aimed at ensuring the quality of the services they provide”. He also said that new terms have been set for timeshare payments and a register has been created to track them, so that the rules are clearer and more transparent.
The positions of the opposition parties
The bill lacks vision and does not promote a comprehensive plan for tourism, said SYRIZA rapporteur Kalliopi Vetta. There are no solutions promoted, nor guarantees for the quality of services and sustainability of the tourist product, said the SYRIZA member of parliament. He also accused the leadership of the Ministry of undermining tourism schools and related education and leading to the deterioration to the point of extinction of the tour guide profession.
This is a bill with incomplete content that contributes little to the goal of achieving sustainable and sustainable tourism with adaptability to any changes and stability in crises, said the special buyer of PASOK Katerina Spyridaki. This management, said the MP, is reserved to the government although rapid adaptation to new market trends and challenges is necessary.
The targeting of that bill is “foreign” to the people’s concern for a few days of holidays, it is also “foreign” to the problems of tourism workers whose position is constantly deteriorating, said the special buyer of KKE Christos. Katsotis The MP said that the main purpose of the proposed provisions is to serve the tourist business groups, through several photo provisions.
“It tries to be limited so that its role and essence are further revealed,” said the expert buyer of Hellenic Solution Stelios Fotopoulos and refers to a series of regulations that do not move in the direction of protecting the natural environment.
Interventions in the short-term rental market, since Greece is the country with the biggest housing crisis in Europe, requested the special buyer of the New Left Theano Fotiou.
The new provisions will not lead to sufficient development, predicts the expert buyer of “Niki” Komninos Delveroudis. The MP mentioned the regulations that “open” a window for the legalization of abuses at the expense of the natural environment.
Stronger rules, especially for the event of “uncontrollable” prices in hotels and Airbnbs, requested by the special buyer of “Spartians” Ioannis Kontis.
On the one hand, the procedures necessary to guarantee the sustainability and environmental impact of tourism have been removed, and on the other hand, a particular bureaucratic process has been introduced in the critical areas of tourism schools and the operation of those guide, as the specialist buyer. of Freedom of Navigation, Alexandros Kazamias.