The national economy has missed out on revenues from value-added tax receipts of at least 40 million euros over the last three years due to the policies adopted by the state in the recreational boat sector, according to data presented on Wednesday by the Greek Marinas Association.
Stavros Katsikadis, the association’s president, said that besides the revenues lost from the drop in boat moorings – as 25 percent of traffic has moved to rival destinations – there has also been a decrease in revenues from peripheral activities such as supplies, fuel, repair and maintenance and staff hirings.
The GMA is also opposed to the imposition of a mooring levy for private recreational boats, as that would represent a disadvantage for the country’s competitiveness and lead to more boats choosing neighboring destinations such as Turkey, Croatia and Montenegro.
The turnover of the association’s 22 members sank about 15 percent in 2012 compared to the year before.
Source: Kathimerini