Without alarming signals in the immediate field, but with a clear warning that “everything can be overturned overnight,” Greek tourism is placed at the threshold of the new year by the President of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels and Hotrec, Alexandros Vasilikos. As he points out in his interview with Tornos News, at this very moment, there are no alarming messages from available indicators such as slots, hotel early bookings, yet at the same time he reminds that the sector now operates in an era of great uncertainty, with European economies under pressure, the war in Ukraine ongoing, and persistent hotspots in the Middle East affecting the priorities of European households.
At this point, it should be emphasized that, according to the President of HCH, the real stake is not one season but the strategic horizon of Greek tourism. It is one thing to talk about 2026, and it is completely another to talk about 2036, he notes, clarifying that the issues that do not allow complacency are structural and strategic and require a long-term strategy for a sustainable and competitive tourism sector. From the resilience fee and destination resilience to human resources, carrying capacity, short-term rentals, digital transition, and support for family-run hotels, Alexandros Vasilikos outlines the priorities for the next day for the sector.
On the issue of staff shortages in tourism, Mr. Vasilikos disagrees that it is a problem solely for tourism. Ensuring the right human resources is a horizontal problem in the Greek economy, as it is also a problem for many other European economies. It is related both to demographics and to the structural characteristics of each economy and labor market, explains the President of HCH and Hotrec.
Finally, in his intervention, Alexandros Vasilikos makes a special reference to the issue of destinations’ carrying capacity, placing the responsibility on the uncontrolled growth of short-term rentals.
Below follows the full interview of Alexandros Vasilikos with Tornos News:
How do you see the new year developing for Greek tourism, based on the data so far? Are there concerns that do not allow complacency?
At this very moment, there are no alarming messages from available indicators such as slots, hotel early bookings, etc. For whatever value that has, of course, because we have seen that everything can be overturned overnight. In any case, we live in an era of great uncertainty. The economies of many European countries, which are our main markets, are either in recession or show weak growth. Additionally, we have an ongoing war in Ukraine whose outcome no one knows, alongside persistent hotspots in the Middle East. This environment fosters insecurity and redefines the priorities of many European households. Nevertheless, for 2026, no worrying signs appear. What worries us and does not allow complacency are the structural, strategic issues. It is one thing to talk about 2026, and completely another to talk about 2036. To address these issues, we must go in-depth and design a long-term strategy for sustainable and competitive tourism.
What are the challenges of the new year? How is the resilience fee evolving for hotel businesses?
Regarding the resilience fee, we said from the beginning that it is an additional burden, which certainly does not help the competitiveness of our product. Since it is in effect, obviously its proper utilization is what should be discussed so that we can improve infrastructure and effectively strengthen the resilience of our destinations against the threats of the climate crisis.
The human resources problem remains. What is the biggest weakness of the current staffing model, and what needs to change for tourism to remain a competitive employer?
First of all, I disagree that it is a problem only for tourism. Ensuring the right human resources is a horizontal problem in the Greek economy, as it is also a problem for many other European economies. It relates both to demographics and to the structural characteristics of each economy and labor market. We address the issue with great responsibility and have already given practical examples of this responsibility. Do not forget that even during the difficult years of the crisis, when everything around us collapsed, the hotel sector maintained sectoral labor agreements. And we continue to do so so that the successes of the sector have a direct impact on the income of its employees. Obviously, we can do more, and we have started to do so. For example, the program Learning Hospitality, within which we reintroduce the professions of Hospitality to new generations and the wide range of job opportunities for a stable and successful career. I repeat, however, that the problem does not concern tourism exclusively, and the fact that the discussion often focuses on it is because we are one of the few sectors that count the missing positions with precise annual research. It is a national problem, it is a structural problem, and as such we must collectively address it.
At the same time, the issue of carrying capacity and social acceptance of tourism returns with intensity. How can balance be ensured between development and the cohesion of local communities?
The contribution of Hospitality to local economies is indisputable, from agricultural production, processing, and trade to construction and services. 93% of hotels cooperate with the local market, and 71% of expenditure on services feeds local businesses. Beyond that, decisions are required to regulate critical issues such as short-term rentals, which, in the uncontrolled way they developed, disrupted the balance of destinations. I will give you a very characteristic example. Ten years ago, Paros had 6,400 hotel beds, and today it has 7,200. At the same time, on a single short-term rental platform, 19,000 beds have been added (on an island of 15,000 inhabitants). And this happened without control, specifications, or licensing. It is therefore clear who is responsible for disrupting the balance, and this must be seriously considered in planning for the next day. The time has come for a serious discussion regarding short-term rentals and what percentage of a destination’s or city’s property stock they can absorb.
Digital transition and data are becoming central to tourism planning. How ready is the hotel sector to utilize these tools at a strategic level?
It is a dynamic effort, which has no end. Development as we knew it in the past no longer exists. Models concerning either sales or management are constantly being surpassed and replaced by more advanced ones using new technologies, artificial intelligence, etc. We live within the digital revolution and must continually invest to synchronize with the pace of new technological trends. We recognized this need very early as HCH and responded effectively with the creation of CapsuleT, the first and only accelerator for startups focused exclusively on tourism. Digital transformation is a strategic priority for the hotel sector, and CapsuleT, with its international distinctions and successful actions, shows the path leading to innovation, creativity, intelligent business growth, and the economy of knowledge and talent.
Investment interest remains strong, but the financial environment has changed. How do you evaluate the conditions for new investments, and what messages do you send to investors?
Investments are very important and welcome. They are a vote of confidence in the prospects of Greek tourism and can play a very significant role in shaping the supply of our product. However, attention must always be focused on small and medium-sized hotels, which are also the largest private investors. Every year, they spend around 1 billion euros on renovating and upgrading their units, creating value chains in many other sectors of the economy. And this is an investment made throughout the country. We therefore welcome new investments while taking into account and supporting family-run hotels, which constitute the backbone and identity of Greek Hospitality.
Finally, what is the clear strategic message you want to convey to hoteliers for the new year, and which priorities should, at this moment, be at the top of their agenda?
The major concerns for hoteliers are strategic and relate to how we will move forward and what the tourism reality will be in five or ten years. The strategic goal of hoteliers is the evolution of our sector through the answers we provide to the needs for green transition, technological upgrade, and quality everywhere, while maintaining the authenticity of Greek Hospitality. That is why this is a long-term discussion and not about how to move from one year to the next. We must look far ahead because experience has shown that the future is won by those who create it.
