By Stathis Kousounis

Russian, Turkish and overseas Greek investors looking to lease or purchase hotels, marinas, etc, are increasingly focusing on Greece, recent developments have shown.

On Monday, the Black and White company of Russian-Greek Ivan Savvidis (owner of PAOK soccer club) secured a 12-month lease for the Makedonia Palace hotel in Thessaloniki at a rate of 95,000 euros per month from IKA Social Security Foundation. The tender also saw two more offers, from Aenaos company (81,000 euros) and from Grecotel (51,000 euros), while IKA is expected to announce a tender for the long-term lease of the hotel within the year.

Russian group Cromwell Hotels and Resorts, which operates 15 units and is a stakeholder in a Russian airline, has added a third hotel in Greece to its portfolio: the Platamon Palace Beach Hotel and Spa, a five-star, 192-room unit in southern Pieria in Macedonia, which will be refurbished and have a maritime park added to its attractions. The group also owns two hotels in the area of Halkidiki, southeast of Thessaloniki.

Tuesday afternoon is expected to see a tender launched by National Bank for the sale of the Gerakina Beach Hotel, also at Halkidiki. The minimum asking price for the 955-bed unit is 17 million euros. National has also asked groups interested in the sale of the luxury Astir Palace hotel in Vouliagmeni, southern Athens, to submit their offers by March 19.

The head of Halkidiki’s hoteliers’ association, Grigoris Tasios told Kathimerini that representatives from two Turkish companies – whom local authority and corporate officials recently met in Istanbul in the context of a tourism fair – stated they would visit the area later this month to explore the possibility of tourism investments. This concerns the powerful Dogus group, which has stakes in four Greek marinas and is eyeing other marinas in this country, and Anadolu group – owner of Efes Pilsen beer – which is interested in investing in Greek medical tourism.

Meanwhile, Turkish carrier Pegasus Airlines announced it will operate low-cost flights between Izmir and Thessaloniki from June 22 to September 14.

Finally, two offers have been submitted for the 10-year lease of the Tourism Kiosk of the Xenia Hotel at Epidaurus in the Peloponnese, a tender proclaimed by Public Properties Company SA.