Samos – North Evia: The platform for subsidized holidays up to 300 euros opens

Published in the Government Gazette on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, the joint decision of the Ministers of Finance, Development and Investment, State and Digital Governance and Tourism setting out the details for the activation of the action “Intangible Digital Card – In Support of the North -Samos Pass »(Government Gazette B ‘3347 / 28.06.2022). With the new action, each beneficiary will have one at his disposal Intangible digital debit cardin order to use it for accommodation, catering and local transport expenses, during his holidays in North Evia or Samos. The amount of the intangible debit card is 150 euros for North Evia and to 300 euros for Samos. Only for the month of August, the respective amounts are set at 100 euros and 200 euros respectively. The intangible digital card is implemented according to the standard of Freedom Pass and Fuel Pass cards.

In this context, the Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister, Responsible for State Aid and Rehabilitation from Natural Disasters, Mr. Christos Triantopoulos, stated in the relevant: the joint ministerial decision which activates the measure of the intangible digital debit card for holidays in the specific areas. With the North Evia-Samos Pass, the beneficiaries have at their disposal an amount – depending on the region and the selected holiday period – which they can spend on local accommodation, catering and local transport companies.

With this action, with a total budget of 6 million euros from the Public Investment Program, the goal is to give an incentive to about 32,000 beneficiaries to visit the areas of Northern Evia and Samos, stimulating local tourism. At the same time, the measure is expected to have multiplier benefits for local economies, which were hit hard by the 2021 wildfires and the 2020 earthquake and tsunami respectively, as beneficiaries are expected to spend more money than they deserve through it. intangible digital debit card. In a framework of cooperation between all stakeholders, we continue to implement measures to support and rehabilitate areas affected by natural disasters. “

Beneficiaries of the program are all adult tax residents of Greece for the tax year 2020, without income criteria. Beneficiaries and beneficiaries of the program are not considered those who have been selected as beneficiaries-beneficiaries in the framework of the Social Tourism program 2021-2022 of OAED, the program for Social Tourism of DYPA 2022-2023, the action “Tourism for all” of the Ministry of Tourism , as well as related provision by any other body for the same period. Beneficiaries and beneficiaries with main residence in the eligible areas of Northern Evia and Samos, as it results from the personal income tax return for the tax year 2020 can not apply or be included as beneficiaries in an application to the area of ​​the main residence their.

The action is divided into four phases (from July to October, per month) and the number of intangible digital debit cards per eligible area and per phase is determined as follows:

Phase 1 (July): North Evia 8,000 cards / Samos 4,000 cards

Phase 2 (August): North Evia 4,050 cards / Samos 2,025 cards

Phase 3 (September): North Evia 7,300 cards / Samos 3,650 cards

Phase 4 (October): North Evia 2,000 cards / Samos 1,000 cards.

It is planned to transfer any remaining amounts of phase 1 to phase 3 and phases 2 and 3 to phase 4.

The beneficiaries who will choose as their destination the Municipalities of Istiaia-Edipsos and Mantoudi-Limni-Agia Anna will be subsidized with 150 euros (excluding August, when the amount is set at 100 euros), while the beneficiaries who will choose Samos as their destination will be subsidized with 300 euros (except August, when the amount is set at 200 euros). The aid is tax-free, inalienable and unsecured, is not subject to any withholding and is not calculated at the income threshold for the payment of any social or welfare benefits.

The credited amount of money can be used exclusively by the beneficiary and only for the execution of transactions or the receipt of services by companies operating (a) in the areas of Northern Evia and Samos and (b) specifically in the sectors of tourism (accommodation, catering) and local transport.

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