ATHENS – Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in his speech to the General Assembly of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), which was broadcast on video οn Wednesday, stressed the encouraging prospects of tourism in Greece, which he described as a “multilevel growth lever”.

The prime minister described tourism as “a pillar of the economy and a source of national wealth”, which he said was “faced with new wagers again” and he urged entrepreneurs in tourism to invest in the human factor, giving better wages and working conditions.

“Given that the shortage of staff in the industry is becoming threatening, it requires new approaches: by extending, for example, the tourist season, by special arrangements for the employment of foreign workers, but also by linking tourism with other activities after the autumn. But it also requires investment in the human factor. Because tourism must be attractive not only to visitors but also to those who work in the sector. And this concerns better salaries and working conditions,” Mitsotakis said.

He stressed that tourism must align its model with digital operations and the ecological model, adding that it has an ally in the state, which is constantly modernising, while he made special reference to the options for financing from the Recovery Plan and the NSRF for tourism companies, talking about a financial pillar that will allow companies to take a step into the future.

“On the part of the state, we are undertaking an upgrade of infrastructure, from roads, ports and airports to water supply and recycling. We are even directing education toward fields that the economy and the labour market are looking for,” Mitsotakis stated.

Referring to the new model for the tourism product, for which, as he said, government and companies should work together, the prime minister stressed the need to reduce the environmental footprint, tackle “hyper-tourism” with new infrastructure and smart flow management, sustainable practices which will also concern local communities, and the formation of alternative destinations throughout the year.

“Because strong Greek tourism means a strong national economy, more national wealth, a share that everyone will have. But also more jobs in the cities, in the mountain villages and, of course, on our islands,” he said.