Announcement of the Operation of Tourist Offices
Basic information
Institutional Body
MINISTRY OF TOURISM
Description
The procedure concerns notification of the operation of a travel agency (or of a branch of a travel agency), which has replaced the granting of a certificate of compliance with the statutory conditions for the operation of a travel agency. Travel agencies operate duly upon collection of the required supporting documents and the subsequent submission of a notification of operation to the Integrated Information System for the Exercise of Activities and Audits (OPS-ADE) under Article 14 of Law 4442/2016. Before submitting the notification, the operator must submit to the competent Regional Tourism Office a letter of guarantee in favour of the Greek State with a five-year term, in accordance with Annex II to Joint Ministerial Decision No 18914/2021 (Government Gazette, Series II, Issue No 5161) or a security deposit of equal amount issued by the Deposits and Loans Fund. Natural persons, third-country nationals and legal entities having their registered office in third countries are entitled to operate a travel agency, provided that they have appointed a special agent in Greece. This right is recognised on the condition that, under the legislation of the state of nationality or of the registered office thereof, the same right is granted to Greek nationals and to companies having their registered office in Greece. Otherwise, the natural or legal persons set out under the first subparagraph shall be entitled to provide tourism services only if they contract to that end with a travel agency duly operating in Greece.
At a glance
Points of Service | Regional Tourism Services |
Digital provision points | |
Number of Documents | 0 |
Cost | 300 + (5,000) € |
Deadline of Implementation | 1 day |
Process Diagram |
Conditions
Fees / Imposts
- Letter of guarantee.Payment typeBank cashierInsurance CompaniesTypeLetter of guarantee
- Travel AgenciesFee code5713Payment typeBank cashierDigital (debit / credit card)Digital (web banking)Hellenic PostTypee-Administrative Fee
- Travel Agencies – branch office establishmentFee code5731Payment typeBank cashierDigital (debit / credit card)Digital (web banking)Hellenic PostTypee-Administrative Fee
What you will need
- Notification to the OPS-ADE (related link below), providing information on: (a) the operator exercising the activity; (b) the location of the activity (address and geographical coordinates); (c) the activity exercised NACE code, Tourism Enterprises Registry (MI.T.E.) number, reference number of the letter of guarantee or security deposit, distinctive title, if approved; and all required supporting documents must be uploaded in digital form.Related linkFiled bySubmitted by the applicant (digital)NoteIf the travel agency is an organiser/retailer of tourist packages Presidential Decree 7/2018 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue No 12), a third party liability insurance policy is required, indicating the number of the insurance policy and the name of the insurance company. Such insurance policy must be uploaded in digital form on the OPS-ADE. MODIFICATION OF THE NOTIFICATION If the details of the notification on the establishment and operation of the travel agency are to be modified, the operator must notify the intended modification in advance. The procedure for submitting the notification regarding the details to be modified is the same as the initial notification procedure. In particular, in case of a change of operator pursuant to Article 9 of Law 4442/ 2016 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue No 230), both the old and the new operator shall each submit a notification about the change within ten (10) days of the change. The notification includes only the new operator’s details (notification of new details and supporting documents issued under the name of the new operator). The letter of guarantee shall be issued under the name of the new operator and shall be submitted to the Regional Tourism Office having jurisdiction for the place of establishment and operation of the travel agency. The letter of guarantee issued under the name of the former operator shall be returned to the issuing authority after a period of six months following the date of submission of the modification notification and provided that all other statutory requirements are met. A change of operator, whether a natural person or a legal entity, shall not be permitted if an infringement of the applicable legislation has been established that may result to the imposition of the administrative measure of suspension of operation of the agency. If the new and previous operator proceed with the change in breach of the provision of the previous subparagraph, the suspension of operation shall be imposed on the new operator. In case of approval of the distinctive title of a travel agency by the competent Regional Tourism Office after submission of the notification of operation, the operator must proceed to the modification of the notification details. In the event of a change of operator, the procedures stipulated under Article 2 of Law 393/1976 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue No 199) shall be observed in relation to the distinctive title of the travel agency. In case of suspension of the activity at the site where it was exercised, the operator must give notice of the suspension. Once the suspension has been notified, the operator shall receive a copy via the electronic system as proof. In the event of a change in the place where the activity is exercised, the operator must submit a new notification and also cancel the notification concerning the old registered office.Applicant statusLegal entities, Persons


Announcement of the Operation of Tourist Offices
What you will need
Online request
Submit a new application for the selected procedure.
Legislation
- DescriptionModel tourist destinations of integrated management, destination management and promotion organisations, Greek thermal springs and other provisions for promoting tourism. development.Legal references
- DescriptionThematic Tourism - Special Forms of Tourism - Provisions on modernisation of the institutional framework in the tourism and tourism education industry - support for tourism entrepreneurship and other provisions.Legal references
- DescriptionSimplification of the procedures for the operation of tourism enterprises and tourism infrastructure, special forms of tourism and other provisions. Registration in the Tourism Enterprises Registry (MI.T.E.)Legal references
- DescriptionLeasing of Private Passenger Cars with driversLegal references
- DescriptionOn the Establishment and Operation of Travel Agencies.Legal references
- DescriptionOrganisation Regulations of the Ministry of Tourism - Responsibilities of the Ministry of Tourism for the implementation of the notification procedure.Legal references
- DescriptionEstablishment and operation of travel agencies. Addition of Chapter XV to Law 4442/2016.Legal references
- DescriptionEstablishment of the procedure, content and supporting documents, fee and penalties for notification of the operation of travel agencies.Legal references
- DescriptionOperation of the information system “Integrated Information System for the Exercise of Activities and Audits (OPS ADE)” set out under Article 14 of Law 4442/2016.Legal references
- DescriptionNew institutional framework for the exercise of business activities and other provisions.Legal references
About
Other Information
Remarks
Travel agencies may use a distinctive title for their transactions. The distinctive title shall be approved by the competent Regional Tourism Office upon request of the operator. The decision approving the distinctive title of a travel agency shall be entered by the operator in the Integrated Information System for the Exercise of Activities and Audits (OPS-ADE) under Article 14 of Law 4442/2016. Duly operating travel agencies may establish branches throughout the Greek territory. Separate notification to the OPS-ADE is required for the operation of branches.