From tomorrow Tuesday, April 21 at 08:00, applications for the social tourism 2026-2027, as has been announced by the administration of DYPA.

The start of applications starts earlier than in previous years in order to give beneficiaries the opportunity to organize their holidays from spring. At the same time, the aim is to decongest high demand months and boost off-peak tourism activity.

For beneficiaries, applications will be submitted according to the last digit of their Tax number, as follows:

Last digit of Tax ID: 0 – Tuesday, 21.04.2026

Last digit of VAT number: 1, 2– Wednesday, 22.04.2026

Last digit of VAT number: 3, 4– Thursday, 23.04.2026

Last digit TIN: 5, 6 – Friday, 24.04.2026

Last digit TIN: 7, 8, 9 – Saturday, 25.04.2026

All TINs – Sunday, 26.04.2026

As stated in an announcement, the program will start on May 18, 2026, earlier than ever before, will run for 13 months and will involve 300.000 vouchers, with a total budget of 50 million. Each voucher is for a unique number for the beneficiary and their family members.

The program covers up to six nights at participating properties in the Providers Registry, with a small private participation by the beneficiary.

Beneficiaries of social tourism who choose accommodation in North Evia (Municipalities of Istiaiaia-Aidipsou and Mantoudi-Limni-Agia Anna), but also in the Regional Units of Magnesia, Karditsa, Larissa, Trikala and Evros, can secure up to 12 free nights.

Similarly, for those who use vouchers on islands such as Leros, Lesvos, Chios, Kos, Samos and Rhodes, up to 10 nights are provided without any private participation.

Beneficiaries

Beneficiaries are:

– employees with a dependent employment relationship under private law,

– insured in the e-EFKA, due to a dependent employment relationship with contributions to the unemployment branch of the DIFA, at any time in the 12 months preceding the application deadline; or

– unemployed persons registered in the Digital Register of Jobseekers of the DYPA, with a continuous period of unemployment at the application deadline of at least three months, who have an income of up to 16.000 euros if they are single, up to 24,000 euros if they are married, increased by 5,000 euros for each child or up to 29,000 euros if they are single parents, increased by 5,000 euros for each child after the first.

Applications are submitted, via gov.gr, at: https://www.gov.gr/ipiresies/ergasia-kai-asphalise/apozemioseis-kai-parokhes/koinonikos-tourismos.

Specifically: Home – Work and Insurance – Compensation and Benefits – Social Tourism Programs (STP).

The selection of beneficiaries is based on the weighting of specific criteria (disabled, single parent, number of children, income, first time participation in the program or non-participation in the two previous programs due to weighting), in an objective and transparent manner, through the Integrated Information System (IIS) of the STP.

For the first time this year, parents are exempt from the moderation process and participate in the program if they meet the eligibility requirements.

Workers and unemployed persons who are subsidized in another agency’s social tourism program for the same period, as well as those who received a check in the 2025-2026 program, in addition to disabled and large parents, cannot participate in the program.

Providers of the program are tourist accommodations and ferry companies.

Provider applications are to be submitted from 21.04.2026 to 10.05.2026, via gov.gr, at:https://www.gov.gr/ipiresies/ergasia-kai-asphalise/apozemioseis-kai-parokhes/parohoi-tourismou.

The route is: Home – Work and Insurance – Compensation and Benefits – Social Tourism Providers.

Providers from the previous year are automatically included in the Provider Register, provided they update their participation documents.

Subsidy also for ferry tickets

The scheme also covers ferry tickets. Beneficiaries pay just 25%, while for disabled people tickets are provided free.

As for providers, subsidy prices remain increased by 20% for the Christmas period (15/12/2025 – 14/01/2026). The same increased subsidy applies throughout the year for accommodation in Northern Evia, Evros and Thessaly, with the exception of Sporades.

For more details and full information, interested parties can visit the official website of the EDO programme