PRESS RELEASE THE DAY "FOR THE FUTURE OF MARITIME TOURISM"

PRESS RELEASE

THE DAY "FOR THE FUTURE OF MARITIME TOURISM"

The Association of Owners of Professional Unmanned Tourist Boats organized on

Tuesday 13/6/2023 at 18:00 an "Open Day for the future of Marine Tourism" at the Multipurpose Hall of the Old Faliro Town Hall.

The following parties were invited to participate in the conference: New Democracy, SYRIZA - Progressive Alliance & PASOK - Movement for Change, which responded and on behalf of the panel of speakers attended:

Mr. Theodoros Kontes , Head of the Tourism Sector of the New Republic for Cruises

Mr. Christos Lampridis , former Secretary General of Ports Port Policy - Coordinator of the Maritime and Island Policy Department of SYRIZA-PS

Dr. Christos Pallis, Deputy Secretary of the Tourism Sector of PASOK-Movement for Change, former President of EOT

The conference was coordinated by the journalist Mr. Savvas Goulopoulos (radar.gr & axia news)

The conference was opened by the host of the conference, the Mayor of Palaio Faliro, Mr. Ioannis Fostiropoulos.

The Deputy Secretary of the Program of the ND Mrs. Antonia Dimos conveyed the greeting of the Secretary of the Program of the New Democracy, Mr. Haris Theoharis, former Minister of Tourism.

A greeting was also delivered by Mr. Nikolaos Spanakos, Vice-Admiral of the Greek Navy, Deputy Secretary of the Shipping Sector of PASOK - Movement for Change.

Then followed three rounds of questions concerning:

• The finances / taxation of the sector
• The infrastructures – docking and port management problems
• Legislative Framework.

In which the representatives of the parties were placed.

At the end, questions were asked by those present in the room and online

The conference was broadcast online through the zoom application and was attended by members of CITESAP as well as local unions either as a group or individually.

The conference was attended by:

The Federation of Greek Associations of Travel & Tourism Agencies (FEDHATTA)

Lyssandros Tsilidis, President

Nikolaos Kelaiditis, President of HATTA, and General Secretary of FedHATTA Federation

NEE-SETE

Vernikos Georgios, Secretary General of SETE, member of the Board of Directors. Maritime Chamber of Greece –

EPEST – Association of Greek Tourist Boat Owners

Stellatiatos Antonios, President

Venetopoulos Diogenes, 3rd Vice President

PENETIS – Panhellenic Association of Professional Tourist Sailing Ships

Nikos Vouloumanos, 1st Vice President

Hinopoulos Pericles, 2nd Vice-President

Damigou Efi, Exec. Director

ASSOCIATION OF PROFESSIONAL TOURIST BOAT OWNERS OF THESSALIA (ΕΤΤΣΥ) “ARGO” – VOLOS The president Mr. Panagiotis Ptochopoulos and members online

Professional Yacht Owners Association (SIEPA) THES-NIKI

The President Mr. Spyros Mavidis & members of the Board of Directors online

Association of Professional Tourist Boat Owners of Lavrio "O IPPOKAMPOS" (EITESAPL)

The president Mr. Haris Hatziveroglou and members online

Groups of members of S.I.T.E.S.A.P. from Corfu, Lefkada, Mykonos, Milos, Rhodes, Kos and Heraklion in Crete,

The general conclusion of the conference is that the problems are known and timeless.
In general, there is an agreement between the parties regarding the need and the way to resolve them with differences regarding the issue of privatization and port management.

The imperative need to submit the industry to the low VAT rate was recognized

The huge issue of berthing and infrastructure for boats came up.

There was agreement on the problems created by the bureaucracy and the urgent need to digitize the various processes, the obstacles caused by the involvement of many ministries in various issues were identified, which makes the request of S.I.T.E.S.A. timely. PI. for the creation of a Marine Tourism committee in which the relevant ministries and the professional bodies of the sector will participate.