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	Integrated Information System for the Exercise of Activities and Audits – OpenBusiness
Number of Documents	0
Cost	300 + (5,000) €
Deadline of Implementation	1 day
Process Diagram

Conditions

Setting up a business (sole proprietorship, partnership). *See the link below on setting up a company 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.

Announcement of the Operation of Tourist Offices

What you will need

Filed by

Keep within business establishmentSubmitted by the applicant (digital)

Applicant status

Legal entitiesPersons

Notes

In accordance with Article 4 of Law 393/1976 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue No 199), the operation of travel agencies which provide the services set out under Article 1 (2) of the above Law exclusively online is permitted. Such travel agencies must include the term ‘e-service’ in their distinctive title. In this case, instead of ownership title deeds or a lease agreement for the travel agency’s premises, a copy of the declaration on commencement of business activities certified by the competent tax office shall be required.

Filed by

Ex officio (digital)Submitted by the applicant (digital)

Applicant status

Legal entitiesPersons

Notes

An excerpt from the general criminal record demonstrating that the applicant has not been irrevocably convicted of a felony or one of the misdemeanours of theft, embezzlement, fraud, extortion, forgery, counterfeiting, serious bodily injury, infringement of the provisions on drugs or morals. Where the operator of the activity is a legal person, the criminal record shall concern its legal representative. It shall be renewed ex officio by the competent Regional Tourism Office every five years. *Natural persons being nationals of another EU Member State or legal persons having their registered office in another EU Member State must provide equivalent documents issued by a competent judicial or administrative authority of the Member State, confirming that they have not been convicted of the above offences and have not been declared bankrupt. If there is no provision in the country of origin or provenance for the issue of a document equivalent to the excerpt from the criminal record, this may be replaced by an affidavit or, in the case of countries in which such documents are not issued, by a solemn declaration, submitted by the operator to the competent judicial or administrative authority or, where appropriate, to a notary public in their country of origin or provenance, who shall issue a certificate attesting the affidavit or solemn declaration. A statement that the applicant has not been declared bankrupt may be made before a competent professional body. The operator shall procure its renewal every five years.

Filed by

Ex officio (digital)Submitted by the applicant (digital)

Applicant status

Legal entitiesPersons

Notes

If the operator is a legal person, such certificate shall be issued for both the legal person and its legal representative. It shall be renewed ex officio by the competent Regional Tourism Office every five years. *Natural persons being nationals of another EU Member State or legal persons having their registered office in another EU Member State must provide equivalent documents issued by a competent judicial or administrative authority of the Member State, confirming that they have not been convicted of the above offences and have not been declared bankrupt. If there is no provision in the country of origin or provenance for the issue of a document equivalent to the excerpt from the criminal record, this may be replaced by an affidavit or, in the case of countries in which such documents are not issued, by a solemn declaration, submitted by the operator to the competent judicial or administrative authority or, where appropriate, to a notary public in their country of origin or provenance, who shall issue a certificate attesting the affidavit or solemn declaration. A statement that the applicant has not been declared bankrupt may be made before a competent professional body. The operator shall procure its renewal every five years.

Filed by

Submitted by the applicant (digital)Submitted by the applicant (in person or by post)

Applicant status

Legal entitiesPersons

Notes

The letter of guarantee, amounting to five thousand (5,000) euros, is issued in favour of the Greek State by financial institutions established in Greece or in another EU Member State and by insurance companies established in Greece. In addition, the interested party may also deposit equal guarantee deposits, which are issued by the Deposits and Loans Fund, in accordance with Article 17 of Law 3646/1928 (Α’ 154). The letter of guarantee from financial institutions and insurance companies, which has a duration of at least five years, states that its validity is automatically extended for a further six months after the date of revocation of the Certificate of Existence of Legal Conditions for any reason whatsoever and also if no other letter of guarantee of at least five years validity is deposited before its expiry. The letter of guarantee shall be forfeited in favour of the Greek State by decision of the Head of the relevant Regional Tourism Service, to cover any consumer claims arising from their transactions with the tourist office. Before the decision to forfeit the letter of guarantee is issued, the Head of the relevant Regional Tourism Service of the Ministry of Tourism invites the company, within a period of not less than one (1) month, to settle the financial claims notified against it and proven by official evidence. The above time limit may be extended for one (1) additional month by decision of the Head of the Regional Tourism Service. If the time limit expires without effect, the relevant forfeiture act is issued without further notice to the person concerned. The letter of guarantee shall be issued to the travel agency by financial institutions established in Greece or in another EU Member State and by insurance companies with registered offices in Greece, in favour of the Greek State, using the relevant template as set out under Annex II to Joint Ministerial Decision No 18914/2021 (Government Gazette, Series II, Issue No 5161) and shall be filed by the competent Regional Tourism Office prior to the submission of the notification. Proof of submission of the letter of guarantee to the competent Regional Tourism Office must be uploaded in digital format on the OPS-ADE. Alternatively, the interested party may submit a security deposit of the same amount, issued by the Deposits and Loans Fund, in accordance with Article 17 of Law 3646/1928 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue No 154). In this case, no term shall be indicated.

Filed by

Submitted by the applicant (digital)Submitted by the applicant (in person or by post)

Applicant status

Legal entitiesPersons

Notes

This applies exclusively to online travel agencies. *In accordance with Article 4 of Law 393/1976 (Government Gazette, Series I, Issue No 199), the operation of travel agencies which provide the services set out under Article 1 (2) of the above Law exclusively online is permitted. Such travel agencies must include the term ‘e-service’ in their distinctive title. In this case, instead of ownership title deeds or a lease agreement for the travel agency’s premises, a copy of the declaration on commencement of business activities certified by the competent tax office tax office shall be required.

Filed by

Submitted by the applicant (digital)Submitted by the applicant (in person or by post)

Applicant status

Legal entities

Notes

The obligation to submit the above document shall not apply where such data can be retrieved by the competent Regional Tourism Office by an ex officio online search in the General Commercial Registry (GEMI).

Filed by

Keep within business establishmentSubmitted by the applicant (digital)Submitted by the applicant (in person or by post)

Applicant status

Legal entities

Online request

Submit a new application for the selected procedure.

If 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.

New online request

Legislation

Description
Model tourist destinations of integrated management, destination management and promotion organisations, Greek thermal springs and other provisions for promoting tourism. development.
Legal references
Link
Description
Thematic 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
Link
Description
Simplification 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
Link
Description
Leasing of Private Passenger Cars with drivers
Legal references
Link
Description
On the Establishment and Operation of Travel Agencies.
Legal references
Link
Description
Organisation Regulations of the Ministry of Tourism - Responsibilities of the Ministry of Tourism for the implementation of the notification procedure.
Legal references
Link
Description
Establishment and operation of travel agencies. Addition of Chapter XV to Law 4442/2016.
Legal references
Link
Description
Establishment of the procedure, content and supporting documents, fee and penalties for notification of the operation of travel agencies.
Legal references
Link
Description
Operation 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
Link
Description
New institutional framework for the exercise of business activities and other provisions.
Legal references
Link

About

Process code

337579

NACE code

79.1

Description of NACE code

Travel agency and tour operator activities

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.