The issue of drawing up a regional strategy in tourism was brought back to the fore by the mayor of Ioannina, Thomas Pegas, from the podium of the 8th regional conference of POX, underlining his disappointment at the fact that to date no Minister of Tourism has visited the city to jointly formulate a strategic development plan. At this point, it should be emphasized that this position served as the starting point for a discussion that revealed institutional gaps, delays in critical infrastructure and a region that is developing, but not as much as it could be.
The mayor pointed out that Epirus is one of the regions with the greatest untapped tourism potential in the country, however, the lack of coordination between municipalities, the region and the government creates a blurred landscape of responsibilities. It is not clear who decides, who finances and who monitors the implementation. At the same time, the recovery fund – as he underlined – should have directed more resources to the resilience of infrastructure, as municipalities do not have sufficient funding for large-scale projects.
Reference was also made to Ioannina airport, which is considered a key axis for the economic and tourist development of the region. The mayor underlined that there is room for increasing air flows, as long as the upgrades continue. At the same time, a new technology and startup entrepreneurship community is emerging in the city, an element that shows that the region has the potential to attract a higher quality audience.
G. Hatzis: Infrastructure is the key – Short-term rental undermines quality upgrading
For his part, the president of POX, Yiannis Hatzis, fully confirmed the need for strategic planning. As he emphasized, Greeks and foreigners cannot experience the wealth of the continental region without integrated projects and a clear strategy. Greece still has seven regions that can be developed programmatically, as long as – as he said – we do not stay only in the six already developed ones.
Meanwhile, he raised with particular emphasis the issue of short-term rental, which now operates as a parallel hospitality system without rules. Hatzis emphasized that 150,000 “hoteliers” have entered the market outside a clear regulatory framework. As he noted, it is one thing to rent out one’s home occasionally and another to operate in practice as a hotel unit without obligations, investments or controls. Hotel accommodation – as it is positioned – brings competition from the “back door” and undermines the bet on the qualitative upgrade of accommodations. In the meantime, the president of the POX pointed out that the 10,500 Greek hotels need incentives for energy upgrades, as this strengthens the sustainability of businesses without requiring new hotel development that may burden the regions.
Sp. Sourelis: A fair framework of resilience and access to financing for small businesses is required
At the same time, the president of the Ioannina Hoteliers, Spyros Sourelis, presented the perspective of the local market, focusing on the need to build a resilient tourist landscape with fair rules. He disagreed with the level of the resilience fees, describing them as unaffordable for many businesses and requesting clear information on where they are being spent. It is worth noting that he clarified that this money must be returned to local communities for projects that have real benefits.
At the same time, he highlighted a chronic problem that is none other than the fact that small units do not have access to financing, as the programs require conditions that exclude a large part of the market. At the same time, the overtaxation of tourist accommodations, as he said, limits the possibility of sustainable investments. On the contrary, he pointed out that alternative forms of tourism can give Ioannina diversification and extension of the season.
A region at a critical juncture
The picture formed at the conference is clear. Epirus has potential, resources, human capital and a growing market. What is missing is a unified strategic plan with the participation of the central state. Without it, the region risks remaining in a subordinate position, despite its comparative advantages. The local community is demanding institutional presence, real investments in infrastructure and resilience, fair market rules and better access to financing. Ultimately, the message of Ioannina is not just about Epirus. It is about how Greece will deal with the next regions that can move from development to a stable, mature and sustainable tourism identity.
