Concession of marinas to add 1 pct to GDP
Marinas and yachting directly and indirectly contribute 1.41 percent of Greece’s gross domestic product, and a further privatization of marinas around the country could add another 1 percent to the GDP, the Greek Marinas Association (GMA) said at a recent event in Athens.
GMA presented a survey showing that in 2018 marinas and yachting accounted for 793,435 tourism arrivals, 1.23 billion euros in the economy, 43,626 jobs in tourism, 3.66 billion euros of investment and 1.94 billion euros in regional development.
With more marinas to be conceded in the coming months, the association expects a significant expansion of the sector that will mean an additional 1.3 billion euros for the economy, 479,000 new tourism arrivals per year, 44,389 new jobs, 1.8 billion euros in new investments in marinas and yachts, and 4.2 billion euros in regional development, GMA estimated.
State sell-off fund TAIPED has planned or is already conducting the privatization of the marinas of Alimos, Argostoli, Chios, Itea, Pylos, Rhodes, Thessaloniki and Zakynthos.
GMA Secretary General Konstantinos Asvestis told the conference that marinas are self-funded investments in infrastructures, without burdening the state budget.
