Greece’s Tourism Ministry will issue am 18-month voucher i order to support hotels and travel agencies hit by the coronavirus crisis. The Ministry will introduce a relevant regulation that will offer the opportunity for tourist businesses to to compensate their clients.
Tourism Minister Haris Theoharis said on Monday, that the specific initiative will be brought to parliament within the week and incorporated into one of the draft bills that are tabled for approval by lawmakers.
According to the ministry plans, customers who have made a booking, for example, during the Easter break, will not receive a cash refund but compensation in the form of a voucher of equal value, lasting for 18 months. The customers will be able to use the voucher for another trip at a later date, possibly even to a different destination, via the same travel agent or the same tourist enterprise.
The tourism ministry is also collaborating on a European level with this aim and is already preparing a letter to the European Commission to request support of the measures.
Greece’s hotel owners have recently told media, that they are unable to pay compensations due to the current economic situation and becaused the pre=payment money has been used for investment for the touristic season.
