The president of the Laconia Hoteliers Association, Dimitris Pollalis, expresses his deep concern about the course of the tourist season in Laconia and beyond to Tornos News, emphasizing that “a full hotel does not necessarily mean a positive financial result.”
As he notes, the great financial hardship of households is now also reflected in the holidays. “Customers no longer go out to restaurants, but prefer to eat in their rooms, buying from supermarkets, pizzerias or other economical solutions,” he explains. This has resulted, especially in areas such as Monemvasia, Neapoli and in Laconia in general, in restaurants closing much earlier than in the past, as traffic is noticeably reduced.
Regarding the course of the season, Mr. Pollalis emphasizes that the months of June and July moved at a leisurely pace, while August, as expected, presents occupancy rates that reach 100%. However, September and October remain a “question mark”, with hoteliers hoping for a better picture at the last minute. “Hope dies last”, he comments characteristically.
Mr. Pollalis also places particular emphasis on the issue of over-taxation, which directly threatens the viability of small tourist units. “A small 14-room hotel pays taxes of at least 8,000 euros per year. With current data, the financial result is not working out”, he emphasizes, calling for immediate interventions in the tax field.
“If something doesn’t change, small tourism businesses will have a hard time surviving,” concludes the president of the Laconia hoteliers and hopes for interventions that will soon relieve small and medium-sized businesses.
