Mr. YANNIS PLAKIOTAKIS

SHIPPING MINISTER S

AND ISLAND POLICY

Our country, with its unique Polynesia as a comparative advantage, now belongs to the map of strong countries in the field of marine tourism. The growth of the sector has been impressive and now, with the new, modernised institutional framework, it has all the necessary conditions for even greater growth. Marine tourism and yachting were high on the agenda of the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis from the beginning, with the first results, especially leaving behind the two years of the pandemic, to make their appearance.

Last spring, the Ministry of Shipping and Insular Policy passed a draft law which provides for the modernisation of the institutional framework for the operation of pleasure boats and tourist day-trip vessels. Our aim was to strengthen the competitiveness of the commercial yachting industry. 2022 will close as an excellent year for Greek and international yachting. We will take all those initiatives to unleash healthy forces so that Greek yachting becomes the first in the world. The new bill incorporates all the modern trends in marine tourism, marking a new era for yachting, as its provisions now provide Greece with the opportunity to fully exploit its comparative advantages, reaping many significant benefits not only for the Greek economy but also for Greek society.

It enables the promotion of the island and maritime space as a key element of the productive fabric of the country, enhances the regional development of the local economies of the islands and coastal areas, creates a stable environment for the promotion of entrepreneurship and the attraction of capital and helps in the parallel development of port infrastructure and the promotion of Greek seafaring and culture in general. 2023, barring any unforeseen event, is expected to surpass all expectations of growth in the sector and will certainly be the year when the results of this legislative initiative will start to show.