The City of Athens supports businesses and employees of the city with activities amounting to 40 million euros

With a wide spectrum of initiatives amounting to 40 million euros - which derive, mainly, from European resources - the City of Athens will support the city economy within the next four months. The goal is to keep the local businesses open and sustain the jobs-at-risk due to the prolonged  health crisis. 

In collaboration with the city's stakeholders, a dynamic program has been drawn up so as to support trade, business, culture and tourism, with the aim of keeping the city's economy alive both during the pandemic and during the next day. The action plan of the Municipality of Athens focuses on four sectors of Athens' economy: Entrepreneurship - Employment and social cohesion - Culture - Tourism and Digital Future - Innovation.

These four sectors include almost all of the economy and employment, especially in the historic center of Athens. It is a multifaceted program that was co-shaped with local social and productive actors. The Mayor of Athens Costas Bakogiannis discussed this program with the President of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Konstantinos Michalos, the President of the Association of Greek Tourist Enterprises Giannis Retsos, the President of the Professional Chamber of Commerce Yanos Association of Athens Stavros Kafouni.

The four main axes of the project, which will be unfolded in the next period are:

Entrepreneurship

- Upgrading of digital tools for the provision of services of institutional and productive bodies to their members (Budget: € 1,000,000)

- Financing of companies in the Historic Center of Athens to improve their image (Budget: 5,000,000 €)

- Creation of an investment identity of the city (Invest in Athens) and establishment and operation of the Athens Film Office to attract large film producers in the city (Budget: 1,000,000 €)

- Cooperation with EVEA to support innovation, competitiveness and extroversion of the local economy (Business Angels Network Greece)

- Support for commercial enterprises through:

1. a) The online platform for the free promotion of offers (Athens is Back) and free parking in municipal parking lots for consumers
2. b) The creation of a map and Athens Shopping guide in collaboration with the Athens Chamber of Commerce
3. c) The design of a model open shopping center on Patision Street (Open Mall Patision)
4. d) The creation of a Quality Pact for the city's stores (Budget: € 3,000,000)

- Organization of the 1st Innovation Summit to strengthen the innovation ecosystem of the city (Budget: 300,000 €)

- Coordination of the creation of thematic Clusters in collaboration with the local entrepreneurs (Budget: 600,000 €)

- Support of the initiative of the Athens Chamber of Commerce "Agora Athens" (identity redesign, architectural competition) - Budget: 300,000 €

Employment - Social Cohesion

- Skills on demand program - Budget € 2,400,000

- Creation of a strong solidarity network (Open Social Net) for the interconnection of the social structures of the Municipality with the groups of the civil society (Budget: € 1,800,000)

- Strengthening the social and solidarity economy (Budget: € 2,500,000)

Culture - Tourism

- Support for companies active in cultural creation and expression (Budget: € 7,700,000)

- Integrated Tourist Promotion and Destination Management Plan in B2B & B2C channels (Budget: € 9,500,000)

- Creation of a Sustainable Tourism Observatory (Budget: 600,000 €)

- Enhancing the cooperation of the Municipality of Athens through the Development and Tourism Promotion Company (EATA) with SETE and private entities (This is Athens & Partners).

- Strategic partnerships with the World Tourism Organization, the World Organization of Conferences and Exhibitions (ICCA), the World Meetings Professionals International and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council.

Digital Future-Innovation

- Enhancing young entrepreneurship through the Athens Digital Lab (Budget: € 120,000)

- Digital upgrade of companies to enhance their extroversion (Budget: 1,000,000 €)

- Creation of an electronic "City Card" (Budget: € 1,200,000)

The Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis, immediately after his meeting with the representatives of the key stakeholders of Athens, stated the following: "Much has been said about the harm caused and continues to be caused by the pandemic crisis. Now, it is time for action”.