Tips to add 120 mln euros to tourism takings
Undeclared but legal earnings amounting to at least 120 million euros will this year be added to the incomes of workers in tourism professions in the form of tips that visitors to this country are expected to leave during their vacations in Greece.
This amount stems from a conservative calculation taking into account that some 50 percent of foreign visitors are expected to leave a minimum of 10 euros in tips each to the employees who serve them during their stay in this country. In effect, this means that for every 1 million tourists Greece loses or gains each year the total amount of tips to tourism profession employees will go down or up respectively by some 5 million euros. If one adds the tips left by Greek tourists, this undeclared income climbs to an even higher level.
The benefits for employees vary depending on the area the work in and the company they work for. For instance, there are many stories about Arab princes or Russian oligarchs who upon departure leave tips to workers amounting to a year’s salary.
Last year an Arab family reportedly left a tip of 2,000 euros at a restaurant on the island of Kos in gratitude for a seat and some fresh water provided for their pet dog.
Yiannis Retsos, the president of the Hellenic Federation of Hoteliers, says that this constitutes another reason for the state to place more emphasis on the country’s tourism.
