Mitsotakis believes that the tourism sector is not the only one that will benefit from refocusing on all Greece has to offer Greek PM Mitsotakis believes that “Brand Greece” must be refreshed
once again this year, after the worst of the pandemic is over, letting
the world know once again that it is ready to “hit play again” as the
nation not only ramps up for another tourist season but creates an
economic climate for new development and investment as well, according
to greekreporter.com.
He believes that the tourism sector is not the only one that will
benefit from refocusing on all Greece has to offer — now that there is a
new economic outlook, he hopes to attract even more business
development than he has in the recent past and to entice more Greeks
abroad to come back to the land of their birth to work and live.
“Sunny ambitions”
After years in what the magazine Monocle called “years in the
geopolitical wilderness” Prime Minister Mitsotakis is “hitting play on
his nation’s sunny ambitions” in a bid to remind the world what “Brand
Greece” means — and to expand that meaning.
The story recounted that after winning the election in July of 2019,
Mitsotakis immediately started to create a more business-friendly
environment in the country, after years of austerity and economic
difficulty. However, just as the economic reality was markedly improving
in the country, the pandemic broke out and the Greek leader was faced
with helping his nation navigate the uncharted waters of a global health
crisis.
The nation is strongly inviting “Digital Nomads,” those who can work
anywhere in the world via computer, to settle in Greece and has also
instituted a 7% income tax rate for retirees — from anywhere in the
world — to come and live in the country.
“Mitsotakis has hit play on a new image and role for Greece that is
seeing the return of a highly talented diaspora, a rapid rise in foreign
direct investment, and tax incentives given to encourage an
increasingly vibrant start-up scene” the writers say.
This indicates the Prime Minister’s “renewed determination for
Greece to play a pivotal diplomatic, military and economic role in the
Eastern Mediterranean, where relations with Turkey are tense because of
clashing claims over maritime borders and ‘exclusive economic zones.”
The Monocle story quotes Mitsotakis as pointing out: “For a country
that came out of ten years of economic hardship with a healthcare system
that had come under a lot of strain, we’ve done remarkably well. I’m a
big believer in trust. And trust between people and the political elite
had been shattered during the (financial crisis of 2008 and its
aftermath).
“We’re rebuilding this trust, step by step,” he explains. “There’s a
general feeling that Greece has turned the corner, a new sense of
national confidence – that’s very much exhibited in our diaspora.
“Country moving in the right direction”
“These are highly talented people who left the country during the
crisis. The reason they’re returning – or contemplating returning –
isn’t just to do with the fact that they’re offered more professional
opportunities; it also has to do with a general sense that the country
is moving in the right direction.”
The move adroitly taps into the current professional realities of
many across the world due to Covid-19. Those who once worked in cubicles
or desks in sprawling offices have now been working from home for the
better part of the last year.
For some, this shift to remote work has proven to be welcome,
improving their professional and personal lives. Others are starving for
exploration and adventure because of Covid-19 restrictions, and see the
change as the ideal opportunity to work and travel once it’s safe.
Large corporations around the globe have found worker productivity
and satisfaction to be increased now that many have the freedom to work
wherever their employees want, and following their own schedules.
Tech giants moving into Greece
Some firms, like Google, have even suggested that they would continue
this work-from-home model for the majority of their staff even after
the pandemic is long over.
The country has started by reducing taxes by 50% for those who decide
to make Greece their home base. Furthermore, Greece has promised
significant tax benefits to court Greeks living abroad, lost to the
brain drain during the financial crisis, to return to the country.
This model has proven to be rather effective, bringing in a number of
highly-qualified, creative workers already working remotely to Greece,
drawn to the country’s vibrant culture and stunning natural landscapes.
Tech and pharmaceutical giants, such as Microsoft and Pfizer, have
even commenced major operations in the country, which was once mired in
an immense economic recession.
