Greek Daily News 14/05/2024

ECONOMY

-Banks have estimated a credit expansion of 5-6 billion euros in 2024 and at the end of March they recorded a positive expansion in the private sector totaling 44 million euros.

-A total of 25,190 new applications were submitted to the out-of-court mechanism in the first quarter of 2024, compared to 13,830 in the first quarter of 2023, according to the Ministry of National Economy and Finance.

-Greece’s Public Employment Service (DYPA) launched on Monday its new free JOBmatch application and platform, offering a direct connection of tourism and food service businesses with those looking for work in corresponding specialties.

REAL ESTATE

A study conducted by the University of Macedonia, reveals that 49.5% of the population demonstrates keen interest in property purchases. While 66% of Greeks find recent real estate price hikes concerning and liken them to a “bubble,” over half (56%) still anticipate further increases. Only 27% foresee stability, with 16% expecting a decline in prices.

TOURISM

-The first meeting of the Regional Tourism Council was held under the chairmanship of Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni at the Union of Greek Regions, in the presence of regional governors and deputy regional governors on Monday.

–Athens ranked 5th in the category of “Best Value City Breaks” with a barometer total cost of £289.40, according to the UK Post Office Travel Money annual “City Costs Barometer”.

-For the first four months of 2024, Athens International Airport (AIA) served 7.7 million passengers a significant 16.5% increase. The top 10 in foreign arrivals include Americans, British, Germans, Cypriots, Italians, French, Dutch, Israelis, Poles, and Turks.

TRANSPORT

The first electric buses of the Chinese company Yutong are already on the streets of Athens and Thessaloniki.