Greece’s Ministry of Tourism has introduced a new framework governing the submission and management of complaints and grievances related to tourism businesses. The framework, adopted by decision of Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni, establishes a centralized complaints system within the General Secretariat for Tourism Policy and Development and applies to all competent departments of the ministry.
Under the new rules, tourists and consumers may submit complaints either with their name or anonymously if they believe that Greek tourism legislation has been breached or that services provided by tourism businesses fail to meet legally required standards.
Complaints may be filed in person at the registry offices of the Ministry of Tourism’s central administration or its regional tourism services, by post to the ministry’s headquarters in Athens, or electronically via dedicated email addresses operated by the ministry and its regional services, as published on its official website.
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Each submission is subject to an initial review by the department responsible for the registry of tourism businesses and the management of complaints, which operates under the Directorate of Quality Standards. This review determines whether the complaint falls within the jurisdiction of the General Secretariat for Tourism Policy and Development and whether it meets the required formal criteria. When a complaint is submitted by name, the complainant is informed about the progress of the case. In the case of anonymous submissions, no personal data are recorded and no follow-up information is provided.
Complaints that are considered admissible are forwarded to the relevant regional tourism authorities, where they are assessed by departments responsible for tourism development, inspections, and audits. Based on objective criteria such as the seriousness of the alleged infringement, potential risks to public health and safety, the strength of the supporting evidence, and whether similar violations have occurred repeatedly, complaints are classified as low, medium, or high severity.
High-severity complaints are given priority, particularly those involving public health violations, fire safety issues, unsafe building infrastructure, the operation of tourism businesses without the required license, or the absence of a lifeguard where one is legally required. These cases are promptly investigated, and if violations are found, legal administrative penalties are imposed.
The Ministry of Tourism has stressed that the aim of the new procedure is not to resolve financial disputes between tourists and tourism businesses, which fall under the jurisdiction of the courts, but to protect consumers and safeguard the quality, safety, and legality of Greece’s tourism offering.
