It was passed by the Plenary of the Parliament the Ministry of Tourism bill “Strengthening tourist infrastructure and tourist education and updating the framework for the practice of the profession of guides and timeshare leases, regulations of tourist operators and other provisions to strengthen tourism”.

The purpose of the interventions is sustainable tourism development which will ensure that the benefits of tourism are distributed fairly and remuneratively.

Based on these principles, the new state law serves specific and distinct goals:

– Promotes and highlights the value of the human potential of Greek tourism.

– Contributes to the formation of a modern and more functional business and investment environment.

– Forms a substantially upgraded and complex tourist product.

– It promotes a new model of governance at local and regional level, in terms of managing and promoting our destinations.

Intervention for tour guides

Before the vote the Minister of Tourism, Olga Kefalogiannimade targeted interventions in the final text, with the aim of shielding and upgrading the tour guide profession. For the first time, after decades, the Ministry of Tourism is coming to deal with the framework that governs the profession of tour guide, modernizing the relevant legislation.

The interventions aim to create a modern functional institutional framework for the profession of tour guide, which meets the requirements of the modern tourist market and will ensure the quality of the services provided, alongside the more efficient operation and protection of the profession.

Specifically:

1. The definition of the profession is updated, taking into account the proposals submitted by the representatives of the Panhellenic Federation of Tour Guides.

2. The institutional framework governing the insurance of guides in the Electronic National Social Security Agency (e-E.F.K.A.) is updated, for main pension and health care, as well as for auxiliary insurance. The terms and conditions for classification of guides in insurance classes are regulated.

3. It is envisaged that the Ministry of Tourism will operate at least two guide schools and the organization of two to five fast-paced programs for practicing the profession of guide.

4. It is updated and a complete framework is set for the audit process as far as the protection of the tour guide profession is concerned. A framework is established with an exhaustive reference to cases of violation of the legislation and penalties are provided that are graded according to the gravity of each violation.

The relevant regulations regarding the articles on the definition of the profession of tour guide, their insurance and the imposition of sanctions were also voted for by opposition MPs (SYRIZA, PASOK).

Basic provisions

The basic provisions, which are now state law, among other things, provide for:

1. The upgrading and creation of new tourist infrastructures, with the aim of sustainable tourism development. Matters are regulated for the environmental licensing and operation of tourist accommodation and special tourist infrastructures.

2. The formation of an integrated and modern regulatory framework for special forms of tourism.

3. The introduction of regulation for organized luxury living tourist camps (glamping).

4. The institutionalization of a framework for increasing the number of berths in the tourist ports, in addition to those already approved.

5. The tourism education system is being upgraded, in order to ensure the high quality of education of professionals in the tourism sector. In addition, a framework is introduced for the recruitment of permanent teaching staff in Higher Vocational Training Schools, for the first time in two decades.

Passenger Cars for Private Use

Especially for the issue of Private Passenger Vehicles (PVs) with a driver, the mandatory controls are maintained in full, based on the strict legal specifications for carrying out their transport work, in accordance with the current legislation. What is exclusively regulated is that the observance of legality and the rigor of controls will be exhausted by the professional and not by the clients, regarding the exercise of the specific transport project.

After the approval of the bill, the Minister of Tourism, Olga Kefalogianni stated: “We are moving forward with steady and decisive steps in a new cycle of changes and reforms, which give a new perspective, correct malfunctions and further modernize our tourism product, aiming for a new cycle of long-term tourism development. Tourism is a dynamic sector that does not stop changing and evolving, and we must constantly adapt, so that tourism continues to bring benefits to the national economy and local communities in the future.”