Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 14-11-10

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] New subsidised jobs programme for 6,000 unemployed

[02] SETE revises estimate for 2014 tourist arrivals up to 23 million

[01] New subsidised jobs programme for 6,000 unemployed

As a result of the ministerial decision, the programme's beneficiaries have increased to 11,000, from 5,000 the previous month, in response to last month's very high demand, when the positions on offer were filled within a few hours.

The programme, with a budget of 59.4 million euros, will be covered by OAED. The companies will be granted a subsidy of 18 euros a day for each employee participating in the programme, while beneficiaries will receive a subsidy of 450 euros a month. The total duration of the programme is up to 12 months.

[02] SETE revises estimate for 2014 tourist arrivals up to 23 million

SETE estimates that foreign arrivals this year will reach 20.5 million up from a previous forecast for 19.5 million arrivals, without counting in cruise arrivals.

In case the preliminary data by the Bank of Greece on 1.2 million of additional road and sea arrivals in July-August 2014 are confirmed, then total arrivals –except for cruise- are estimated above 21 million compared to 17.9 million in 2013 and 15.5 million in 2012.

Cruise arrivals, SETE said, increased by 100,000 in the first half of the year and are expected at around 2.5 million for the whole 2014 from 2.2 million last year.

Therefore, the new estimate for 2014 tourist arrivals by all means of transport is around 23 million, up 15 percent compared to 2013.

As far as foreigners arriving at Greek airports are concerned, their number increased 23.5 percent in October and 15 percent in January-October period.

"The latest figures prove the great potential of Greek tourism. Despite the deterioration of the economic climate in Europe and Russia and the highly volatile environment in the wider region, at the end of 2014, Greece is expected to be among the world's top 15 tourist destinations. We are moving considerably faster than expected towards the achievement of the goals of the strategic plan and the 2021 Tourism Roadmap," SETE president Andreas Andreadis said.

He added it was imperative at this critical time to "move together – the government, the political parties, the social partners, the tourism entrepreneurs and employees – aiming to further shield the sector, boost investment, improve quality, support the small and medium-sized tourism enterprises, enhance competitiveness and sustainability of the Greek tourism product and increase employment in the sector."

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