ATHENS -(Dow Jones)- The Greek government has suspended charges at most regional airports Friday to try and boost charter-flight traffic and revive its tourism sector threatened by the economic downturn.
Transport Minister Evripides Stylianidis and Tourism Minister Costas Markopoulos said airlines slot fees at various international airports including Iraklio, Rhodes and Corfu but excluding the Athens International Airport will be suspended until the end of September. Stylianidis said the measure would also cover domestic flights.
The ministers said the move is to provide an incentive to international tour operators to design cheaper Greek travel packages.
Markopoulos said each tourist traveling to Greece would benefit by EUR10 to EUR12, while the cost to the Greek state would total EUR8 million this year.
Stylianidis said the state won't lose money as it will be channeled into the economy. It would be collected through the value-added tax and other consumer spending, but a large portion of extra income would go to the tourism industry which would maintain jobs and stimulate regional growth.
Tourism, which generates a fifth of Greek jobs, has slowed recently as recession has taken its toll on U.S. and European consumers.

Source : www.easybourse.com