Additional 20-million-euro funds are allocated to tourism within the framework of the four new National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF- ESPA) programs for the 2014-2020 period announced by Economy Minister Giorgos Stathakis during a joint press conference and Alternate Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura on Thursday.
These programs relate to startups, self-employment of higher education, enhancing existing tourism businesses and the strengthening of SMEs in general. The government’s aim is to focus on entrepreneurship and extroversion, innovation, competitiveness and attracting more capital.
The 2014-2020 program focuses on the upgrade of tourism infrastructure and facilities, expanding into new markets and boosting employment opportunities for self-employed higher education graduates.
Qualitative improvement and upgrade
Total funds for the four new NSRF programs for the 2014-2020 period will reach up to 370 million euros with 70 million euros aimed at strengthening the investment projects of existing SMEs and micro tourism enterprises in Greece, to modernize their infrastructure and operation, assist in their qualitative improvement and upgrade and certify their offered products and services to improve their position in the domestic and international tourism market.
“We listened to suggestions and needs of the sector and decided an increase in the budget for tourism giving it a much-needed boost,” Mrs Kountoura commented on the new programs.
For further details on the NSRF program for tourism infrastructure and facilities, press here (in Greek).
New funds for tourism services
Greece also plans to use part of new community funds to support green sectors of production which have been either downgraded or remain in hypnosis, Economy Deputy Minister Alexis Haritsis had announced earlier.
The minister said that Greece has neglected the dimension of environmental and social sustainability of development interventions although there were and still are serious needs and several possibilities.The reallocation of new EU funds will signal a turn to sectors such as waste management, energy, tourist services, agricultural-food complex and living quality in cities.
Redesigning funding tools
Authorities are already redesigning funding tools and extend their operation until September, while new tools are planned to support business activity which will not be operated by systemic banks, but by new agencies such as a new Development Bank, the minister said.He added the government planned actions worth around 500 million euros in 2016 aimed to boost green business, including some sub-contracts from the previous period (2007-2013), such as collection and processing of urban waste, while other actions will be completely new such as waste management, restoring of mountain tracks in tourist destinations, modernizing camps in regions of increased environmental interest and initiatives to improve city environment.
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