Frequently Asked Questions
In an effort to assist businesses wishing to participate in the new Social Tourism Programme, OPEKA’s Rural Home Account (LAE) provides some information and guidance on correctly completing applications for businesses and beneficiaries. It also provides a series of questions and answers specifically for businesses to help them receive and serve social tourism beneficiaries as effectively as possible.
Dear business owners, for LAE/OPEKA to pay you, the relevant form — the Tourism Voucher — must include, among other things:
- a) the beneficiary’s proof of stay field
- b) the total LAE/OPEKA subsidy amount per voucher
- c) the beneficiary’s signature beside the KEP stamp, which must be clearly legible.
- d) the beneficiary’s signature beside the business stamp.
For your convenience, we provide a sample social tourism voucher:
| SAMPLE SOCIAL TOURISM VOUCHER | THREE COPIES: 1. LAE — 2. BUSINESS — 3. BENEFICIARY |
ONLY THE OPEKA/LAE COPY IS SUBMITTED TO THE RURAL HOME ACCOUNT |
Voucher No. BENEFICIARY DETAILS OGA Registration No.: ID Card No.: RESIDENCE: TEL: |
THE VOUCHER IS STRICTLY PERSONAL TYPE OF ACCOMMODATION: BUSINESS NAME: TITLE: ADDRESS: BENEFICIARY’S PROOF OF STAY To be completed by the business TOTAL OVERNIGHT STAYS ARRIVAL:……………….. DEPARTURE:…………… |
OPEKA RURAL HOME ACCOUNT SOCIAL TOURISM VOUCHER LAE Management Committee Decision THIS VOUCHER IS VALID UNTIL…….. COPY FOR OPEKA/LAE ISSUED BY KEP (KEP NUMBER) ON (DATE) KEP STAMP IMPORTANT: BENEFICIARY’S SIGNATURE |
| THE BUSINESS |
What should I check when an LAE/OPEKA beneficiary arrives at my accommodation?
- Whether the beneficiary’s voucher is for the 2025 Social Tourism Programme.
- Whether the accommodation details printed on the voucher issued by KEP are correct.
- The beneficiary’s identity details.
WARNING: THE SOCIAL TOURISM VOUCHER IS STRICTLY PERSONAL.
The business owner may accept the beneficiary at the accommodation only if they verify that the beneficiary’s identity details match those shown on the social tourism voucher.
- Beneficiary vouchers must bear the printed official stamp and the signature of the Chair of the LAE/OPEKA Management Committee (bottom left).
- The round KEP stamp and the signature and stamp of the responsible KEP employee.
- The beneficiary’s signature when receiving the voucher from KEP.
- The beneficiary’s signature when leaving the accommodation.
How should I enter the “BUSINESS NAME” on the voucher and on my accommodation’s application to participate in the LAE/OPEKA social tourism programme?
It must be completed using the details shown on the Certificate of Commencement/Change of Business Activities for natural and legal persons issued by the competent Greek Tax Office, and must exactly match the business stamp and signature on the voucher.
What should I do if I find that the voucher does not show the name of my accommodation?
If the voucher was issued for another accommodation, the business owner must promptly ask the beneficiary to cancel the voucher at the nearest Citizens’ Service Centre (KEP) and have a new one issued with the correct accommodation name. Otherwise, no subsidy can be paid for the voucher.
How do I notify LAE/OPEKA that a social tourism beneficiary has arrived (arrival notification)?
The business owner must report the beneficiary’s arrival through the online application within 24 hours of their arrival at the accommodation.
WARNING: After 24 hours, the application will not allow access to submit an arrival notification.
What should I do if a social tourism beneficiary stays for fewer nights than reported?
If a beneficiary stays fewer nights than reported, the accommodation manager must promptly correct the number of overnight stays in the relevant application.
WARNING: The online application allows only once a correction to the number of overnight stays.
What should I do if the beneficiary arrives but does not wish to stay at the accommodation?
Do not submit an arrival notification through the online application; return the voucher to the beneficiary without completing it.
What should I do if the LAE/OPEKA application has a technical problem?
If there is a technical problem with the LAE/OPEKA application, the business owner must enter the correct arrival dates on the first working day after the application becomes available again. In any case, a notice with instructions will be posted in the application.
If I cannot submit an ELECTRONIC ARRIVAL NOTIFICATION, what alternatives do I have?
In that case, report the arrival by email to agrotikiestia@opeka.gr within 24 hours of the social tourism beneficiary’s arrival. Arrival notifications in these circumstances will be accepted only when a genuine inability to connect to the internet is established (for example, where the accommodation is in an area without internet access or there is a technical fault). In this case, complete the relevant sample form available on the LAE/OPEKA website under Electronic Services (here) titled:Social and Thermal Tourism Arrival Notification (by email) 2025 and send it to agrotikiestia@opeka.gr
Business owners should be aware that VOUCHERS NOT MARKED “FOR LAE/OPEKA” WILL NOT BE PAID.
How do I submit a subsidy application?
Subsidy applications for LAE/OPEKA programmes (Social and Thermal Tourism, Excursions, Bookshops, and Children’s Camps) are accepted ONLY IF SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY at: https://apps.opekaservices.gr/lae/.
Businesses applying for subsidies under LAE/OPEKA programmes (Social and Thermal Tourism, Excursions, Bookshops, and Children’s Camps) must sign in to the application platform with the same username and password used for their participation application, selecting the relevant year and the appropriate “Business type”.
After completing all required fields, finalise the application. The application is then printed (VIEW → PRINT), stamped and signed by the business owner, and sent by post to OPEKA together with the required supporting documents described in the terms for each programme, available at www.opeka.gr → Rural Home → Electronic Services (https://opeka.gr/agrotiki-estia/ilektronikes-ypiresies) |
Am I required to issue an electronic invoice?
From 1 January 2025, electronic invoicing is being extended to general government entities (Joint Ministerial Decision No. 52445 EX 2023/23, Government Gazette 2385/B/12-4-2023: economic operators are required to submit electronic invoices).
Accordingly, OPEKA is required to receive electronic invoices.
Further information about using web services is available on the General Secretariat for Information Systems and Digital Governance website at: https://www.gsis.gr/politesepiheiriseis/pliromes-kai-eispraxeis/e-invoice#KED
For information about the other programmes, visit the page for the programme concerned.
WARNING: If a business participated in the programme through more than one branch, it must submit separate subsidy applications for each branch, each accompanied by the supporting documents listed above.
Please note that tax and social insurance clearance certificates will be requested when the subsidy is paid by the relevant department of OPEKA’s Directorate of Financial Services, by email or telephone.
