ECONOMY

Hoteliers ask for half-term school breaks

The local hotel market is renewing its call for a four- to five-day half-term school break in a bid to rekindle interest in family trips during the off-season.

Yiannis Retsos, the president of the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation, told Kathimerini that even though there has been a small rise in domestic visitors at summer destinations, demand remains low for winter destinations.

As a result the federation is again asking for the creation of a half-term break – of as little as two days, next to a weekend – at all levels of education to allow for at least a four-night family getaway, as is the case in the rest of Europe.

The aim is clear, as that would create a window for holiday packages during the winter, where tourism remains a long way from the huge growth seen in summer figures. Wintertime hotels suffer particularly from high energy costs, which in mountainous and semi-mountainous resorts account for up to 50 percent of their total operation costs.

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