PASOK – Movement for Change: To financially strengthen the tourism sector

A package of measures, as compensation for the crisis that the tourism sector is going through, was submitted to PASOK – Movement for Change by the General Panhellenic Federation of Tourism Enterprises (GEPOET), in a meeting held at the offices of the Parliamentary Group of the Movement Change in Parliament, with the Movement agreeing to continue supporting the tourist bus companies and tourist offices.

In detail, according to a Press Release of the Movement for Change, the representatives of the Federation informed the executives of the Movement for Change about the dramatic situation, which, as they claimed, the companies of the tourist buses and tourist offices have fallen due to the health crisis, after and the previous economic crisis. That is why the need for substantial support is imperative, so that their industry can survive, as they said. How much more, they added, that the additional consequences of the energy crisis have been added, but also of the geopolitical unrest that is in progress.

Representatives of the Federation stated that “the price of fuel is prohibitive for their industry and the latest measures announced by the government cover only 5% of the cost of their increases, so they ask for their subsidy, as is done in other European countries “. They also demand the reduction of the Excise Tax, the maintenance of low VAT rates. and its reduction to 13% for tourist packages. While they proposed a series of other measures to strengthen their businesses, in proportion to other affected sectors.

They also pointed out that the debts they owe to the State, from tax and insurance contributions, have accumulated along with the interest and surcharges of the last two years from previous regulations that were lost and it is now impossible to repay them. That is why they are asking for new arrangements of 120 installments with write-off of interest and surcharges, starting with repayment in 2023.

At the same time, they expressed their dissatisfaction with the exclusion of their businesses from the new Development Law, as “in recent years they have not been included in any investment plan and the fleet of tour buses is already aging”. Their request is the integration of their industry in corresponding programs, so that they can replace their buses and create modern parking facilities for tourist buses. They also proposed measures to support employment in the industry and especially for drivers. Finally, they referred to the institutional framework for the operation of the Transport sector and underlined the “long delay” in the implementation of the European Regulation 1370/2007 on Public Passenger Transport.

For their part, the representatives of the Movement for Change, recognizing the contribution of the Tourism sector to the course of our Economy, pledged to continue supporting the business of tourist buses and tourist offices. In order, as they characteristically stated, “to make the government aware that in order for Tourism to continue to bring significant income to the country, the industry should be financially strengthened, there should be support measures for its survival, investment programs for the modernization of these companies and participation of all in the dialogue for the formation of the new institutional framework of operation of the Sector of Public and Passenger transport “.

From the side of PASOK – Movement for Change, the meeting was attended by the head of the Infrastructure and Transport Department and Arta MP, Chr. Gokas, the MP of Heraklion, V. Kegeroglou, the secretary of the Finance Department, I. Koutsoukos, the secretary of the Transport Department, K. Kokkoris, the vice. Secretary of the Tourism Department, Ol. Lois and the director of K.O., Th. Glavina.

From the side of GE.POET. participated its president, No. Marinis, the secretary general, G. Tsopanas, the director, Sp. Kapitsinas and the member, M. Berkis.