Filenews 31 March 2024 - by Adamos Adamou
Prohibition of concerts, receptions, use of live music and generally the... Club bing, as well as a ban on parking within glamping, i.e. luxury camps, is proposed by the Deputy Ministry of Tourism for the attempted institutionalization of their operating framework.
The deputy ministry's positions were raised last week by Deputy Tourism Minister Costas Koumis himself, at a meeting of the parliamentary Trade Committee, which reviewed the bill again on the issue before it was forwarded to the plenary of the Parliament.
During the meeting, it was made clear that the text of the bill will not change and that the suggestions of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, as well as possibly others, will be incorporated into the legislation in the form of amendments by MPs when it is voted in plenary.
Already, the Deputy Ministry of Tourism has sent its positions in writing, proposing in essence seven changes to the bill submitted by the previous Government, reached the plenary of the House last summer, which finally decided to postpone its approval or rejection.
With the review of the bill, the aim is for it, along with the regulations that accompany it and that amend the Regulation of the Establishment and Operation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodation Law in the near future, to be before the Plenum for final clarification of the issue.
The aim of the recommendations of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism is to avoid the possibility of creating permanent distribution structures through the institutionalization of luxury camps, to ensure the use of spaces that will exist by long-term rental customers and to protect the environment.
Regarding the latter, Costas Koumis in his previous intervention in Parliament informed that the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, as the Competent Authority, will request that during the preparation of the urban development plans "safeguards and strict criteria are put in place, in relation to the areas and areas of development of these accommodations, in order to ensure the protection of the environment, The achievement of the objectives of the bill, but also the avoidance of undesirable situations such as unregulated development that may, if safeguards are not put in place, may cause conditions of overtourism".
Glamorous campsites in moderation
Costas Koumis reiterated last Tuesday that he is in favour of these developments, but in moderation and with respect for the environment. He also stressed the need for these developments not to be located within already developed tourist areas. He argued that the proposals submitted to Parliament, expressing the wish that these will be adopted, want precisely to ensure that luxury camps, glamorous camping, as he said, will be done correctly, on the basis of the philosophy that characterizes this type of developments, which is the enjoyment of unique landscapes in nature, along with doses of luxury.
The Deputy Minister of Tourism also noted that such developments have the philosophy of developing in very special landscapes. He said that such developments are mainly aimed at travellers with ecological sensitivities and that the Deputy Ministry's recommendations are moving in this direction.
Both in the Trade Committee and in his statements at the end of its meeting, Mr. Koumis said that among the seven recommendations of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism is not to allow car parking next to the structures of the glamorous campsite, but to have a specific space for parking away from the structures.
Suggestions for more comfort
In addition to banning private cars in luxury camps, the Deputy Ministry of Tourism proposes other changes to the legislation in order to ensure more comfort and privacy for those who will be inside glamping. The recommendations also aim to address – as we are informed – situations where a glamping-type development may change use, replacing the accommodation of short-term rental customers with long-term rental customers.
In relation to the prohibition of parking, the Deputy Ministry proposes an amendment to a specific criterion recorded in the bill and its annexes so that all parking areas of the campsite, except those concerning wheeled camping means, are concentrated in a single space based on the approval of the competent authorities.
It is also proposed to differentiate another criterion in order to increase the necessary distances between camping accommodation from 10 meters to 20 meters.
The Deputy Ministry of Tourism also proposes an amendment to another provision of the bill to ensure that luxury camps offer "temporary accommodation". This reference in the bill is proposed to read as follows: "offer professional temporary residence and have a valid operating license in accordance with the provisions of this Law and the Regulations issued pursuant thereto and meet the specifications as set out in the First Annex".
A representative of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism recorded in Parliament the importance of this change, in order to ensure that there will be no long-term residents inside the camps.
No electricity and water meters
With another amendment, the Deputy Ministry proposes the involvement of all competent authorities for compliance with the legislation, with a suggestion that Article 13 of the Basic Law, point 3 (a) of the bill be formulated to add, inter alia, the following sentence: "It is understood that the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, with coordinated on-site inspection of all involved Services (Deputy Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Interior, Competent Licensing Local Authority, Ministry of Health, Department of Environment, Fire Service, Department of Labour Inspection, Department of Electromechanical Service), checks compliance with the terms and obligations imposed under the provisions of this Law and the provisions of any regulations issued pursuant thereto, as well as luxury "glamping" type at least once a year".
In order to prohibit the holding of other events in luxury camps, the Deputy Ministry proposes to incorporate in the bill the following new reservation: "It is understood that, especially for the category of luxury camps "glamping", the parallel conduct/operation within it, of activities, such as the holding of events / receptions / concerts, use of live music, long-term residence of persons, etc. is prohibited.
In another suggestion, it is proposed to change a specific criterion, 1.16, to read as follows: "In order to obtain the EU ECOLABEL, a period of 24 months is provided from the date of issue of the (first) operating license. Thereafter, this Label should be renewed continuously and be in force, without a transitional period, regardless of the change of the entrepreneur".
Finally, in order to avoid the conversion of luxury camps into permanent distribution areas, it is proposed to add a prohibitive criterion that "it is forbidden to place in accommodation accommodation customers of the luxury camp "glamping", electricity meters and water supply meters".
