The Traveller's Magazine
Greece has definitely been hitting the headlines this summer with their financial crisis and potential exit from the Eurozone (crisis averted!). Tourists have been wondering whether or not to even go to Greece and now the government has implemented a new hotel and restaurant tax.
Greece isn’t having the summer it expected. Some beaches are practically empty during the height of tourist season as many European travellers and those from abroad have cancelled or simply booked flights to Spain or elsewhere in fear that the economy could collapse while on holiday.
Restaurant owners and hoteliers are feeling the pinch now that the government is planning to implement higher sales taxes as one of the promises Syria made to the Eurozone in return for their latest bailout.
The Greek meal sales tax will jump from 13% to 23%, while hotels will be required to charge a room sales tax of 13%, up from 6.5%. Travellers to the coast from Athens are only spending the day, to avoid dishing out on a hotel, and they’re brining an ice box full of food instead of dining out at one of the seaside restaurants.
These tax hikes will definitely hurt Greek tourism but are certain to effect those restaurants catering to domestic Greek tourists rather than foreign ones, as they’ll need to lower their prices in order to keep their customers.
