The platform for submitting applications for participation in the “social tourism program 2024-2025” of the Public Employment Service (DYPA), regardless of the TIN of the beneficiaries, will remain open from Monday 10 June 00:00 to Tuesday 11 June 2024 at 10:00: 00.

It is recalled that today, Sunday, June 9, 2024, only beneficiaries with VAT numbers ending in 7, 8 and 9 can submit applications on the platform.

As stated in a related announcement, the program will start on July 1, 2024 and concerns 300,000 checks, with a budget of 50 million euros, increased by 43% from last year, while, overall, the program’s budget has quadrupled in the last five years.

The check is a unique number for each individual beneficiary and beneficiary, who can spend up to six nights in accommodation they choose from the DYPA “Register of Providers”, after their agreement with the provider, with a small private participation.

In particular, in Leros, Lesvos, Chios, Kos and Samos, up to 10 nights can be spent free of charge (zero private participation), while in the Municipalities of N. Evia and Evros, up to 12 nights can be spent free of charge, where Thessaly is added this year, outside the Sporades.

Subsidized prices remain increased by 20% for the peak month of August, with a corresponding subsidy of 20% for the Christmas (from 15/12/2024 to 14/01/2025) and Easter (from 11/04/2025) periods until 27/04/2025).

The increased subsidy is valid for the whole year for the accommodation of N. Evia, Evros and Thessaly, except for the Sporades.

In addition to accommodation in tourist accommodation, ferry tickets are also subsidised. Participation amounts to 25%, while for the disabled the tickets are free.

The program provides for special scoring for single parents and the disabled and increased scoring for beneficiaries with a lower income.

Also, the possibility of participation is provided for the disabled every year, the right of an escort and zero private participation in the ferry tickets, while no penalty is imposed on them if they do not use their cheques.

For parents, increased points are provided for each minor child.

This year, for the first time, those who did not receive checks in the past or who did not receive a check due to scoring in the last two programs are being scored.

Beneficiaries are:

– employees with a dependent employment relationship under private law or

– insured in the e-EFKA in their occupational category with contributions for the DYPA unemployment sector at any time from 01/01/2023 or

– unemployed with a continuous unemployment period of at least three months on the application deadline.

The family income cannot exceed 30,000 euros, while for the long-term unemployed (12 or more months of unemployment) different income criteria apply, as described in the Public Invitation.

Applications are submitted via gov.gr, at the online address: https://www.gov.gr/ipiresies/ergasia-kai-asphalise/apozemioseis-kai-parokhes/koinonikos-tourismos. Specifically, the route is: Home – Work and insurance – Compensation and Benefits – Social Tourism Programs (STP).

The selection of the beneficiaries is based on the scoring of specific criteria (disabled, single parent, number of children, income, first time participation in the program), in an objective and transparent manner, through the Integrated Information System (IPS) of DYPA.

As pointed out in the announcement, employees and unemployed people who are subsidized in another organization’s social tourism program for the same period and those, other than the disabled, who received a check in the 2023-2024 program, cannot participate in the program.

Supporting documents related to the conditions of participation or the scoring of the beneficiaries are sought ex officio. In cases where it is not possible to search ex officio, the supporting documents are attached to the applications.

Providers of the program are tourist accommodation and ferry companies.

Provider applications are submitted, via gov.gr, at the online address: https://www.gov.gr/ipiresies/ergasia-kai-asphalise/apozemioseis-kai-parokhes/parohoi-tourismou. The route is: Home – Work and insurance – Compensation and Benefits – Social Tourism Providers. From this year, providers from the previous year will automatically be included in the Register of Providers, as long as they update their participation documents.

For more information: https://www.dypa.gov.gr/koinonikos-toyrismos.