Tap into the immense wealth of natural hot springs and make destinations, sites and businesses accessible are among the main points of a new bill tabled in parliament Tuesday by the Greek Ministry of Tourism.
The bill sets out the conditions for the use of the country’s natural sources and thermal spas through the creation of Hot springs of Greece SA, who will be responsible for developing a strategy that will designate, use and manage the hot springs in the country.
The Ministry of Tourism aims to integrate thermal tourism into a broader wellness tourism product and to attract new visitors while ensuring that they comply with sustainable development standards.
Under the bill, the ministry aims to take a holistic approach to sustainable tourism development through public-private partnerships and synergies with local and regional authorities.
Some of the main areas of interest include the creation of tourist destinations, sites and businesses accessible people with disabilities and the granting of relevant certification in this regard.
In addition, according to the new legislation, the ministry plans to grant certification to breweries, olive mills and cheese dairies that can be visited, as well as to farms that accept pets (hotels and businesses).
The draft also provides for fines of up to 2,000 euros (for repeat offenders) for unlicensed persons offering tourist guide services and advertising these services online, through social media or in print.
The law also defines in detail the responsibilities of the Special Service for the Promotion and Authorization of Tourism Investments.
Finally, the bill extends the field of action of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) by including promotional and marketing actions as well as allowing it, among other things, to rent or offer with or without exchange of spaces. for the promotion of Greek tourism.
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