Tourism for All 2026–2027: What to Check Before Booking a Hotel

The Tourism for All 2026–2027 programme provides successful applicants with a digital debit card that can be used for accommodation at eligible hotels and other lodging businesses throughout Greece.

Having available funds on the card, however, does not mean that every hotel booking can automatically be paid through the programme.

Before confirming your reservation, you should check which business will process the payment, whether the accommodation belongs to an eligible category, whether it accepts the digital card and whether the charge relates exclusively to accommodation.

Confirm That the Accommodation Is Located in Greece

The Tourism for All digital card can be used only at accommodation businesses established within Greece.

There is no geographical restriction within the country. Beneficiaries may choose a hotel, guesthouse, camping site or other eligible accommodation provider on an island, in a city, in a mountain destination or anywhere else in Greece.

The card cannot be used for accommodation outside Greece.

Before booking, confirm that the property is legally operating in Greece and that the business processing the payment is also established within the country.

Ask Whether the Accommodation Accepts the Digital Card

The programme does not operate through a fixed list of participating hotels.

Whether a payment is accepted depends on the accommodation provider’s Merchant Category Code, commonly known as an MCC. This is the code used by banks and payment networks to classify each business.

Eligible categories generally include:

• hotels and accommodation businesses,
• other recognised lodging providers,
• recreational camps,
• camping sites,
• and certain timeshare accommodation services.

Travellers usually cannot identify a business’s MCC simply by looking at its website. For this reason, the safest approach is to contact the accommodation directly before making a reservation.

Ask:

• whether it accepts the Tourism for All 2026–2027 card,
• whether it has already processed similar payments,
• and whether the charge will be made directly by the accommodation business.

This confirmation is not a separate legal requirement of the programme, but it is the most practical way to reduce the risk of a declined payment.

Check Who Will Process the Payment

The card may be used through a physical point-of-sale terminal or online, provided the payment system allows the traveller to enter and charge the digital card details directly.

This means that an online hotel reservation may be eligible, but only when the business processing the payment belongs to an approved accommodation category.

The critical question is not simply whether the reservation concerns a hotel.

What matters is which company appears as the merchant on the transaction.

If the payment is processed directly by the hotel or accommodation provider, it may be recognised as an eligible accommodation expense.

If the charge is processed by an intermediary booking platform, travel agency or another company that does not have an eligible accommodation MCC, the transaction may be declined.

Before selecting “pay now” on a booking platform, ask:

• which company will charge the card,
• whether the payment is processed by the hotel,
• and whether direct payment at the property is available.

A booking platform may display hotel rooms without being the business that ultimately qualifies to accept the programme’s card.

Make Sure the Charge Covers Accommodation Only

The digital card is intended exclusively for accommodation expenses.

It cannot be used for other services, even when they are offered by the same hotel, such as:

• meals and drinks,
• spa treatments,
• excursions,
• transfers,
• activities,
• equipment rental,
• or other additional services.

If your reservation includes the room and several extras in one combined charge, contact the accommodation before paying.

Ask whether the hotel can separate the accommodation cost from the additional services.

The eligible part may then be paid with the Tourism for All card, while meals, transfers or other extras can be covered with another payment method.

A package that appears to be a hotel booking may still cause problems if the entire amount is processed under a non-eligible service category.

Check the Card’s Validity Period

The digital card works only during the travel period selected by the beneficiary during the application process.

For beneficiaries of the first programme phase, the periods are divided into high and low tourist seasons.

High Tourist Season

The card may be used:

• from its activation until 30 September 2026,
• and again from 1 May until 30 June 2027.

Low Tourist Season

The card may be used:

• from 1 October 2026 until 30 April 2027.

Transactions attempted outside the selected period will not be accepted.

You should also distinguish between three different dates:

• the date you make the reservation,
• the date the card is charged,
• and the dates of your actual stay.

The safest approach is to confirm that the payment will be processed while the card is active.

A reservation for a future stay may still fail if the hotel tries to charge the card before or after the selected validity period.

Do Not Make a Non-Refundable Booking Before the Card Is Activated

Submitting an application does not mean that the applicant has already received the subsidy.

Final beneficiaries are selected through an electronic draw. Those selected then receive instructions by SMS and email from the financial institution issuing the card.

The beneficiary must follow the activation process before the card can be used.

Do not make a non-refundable reservation based only on the fact that you submitted an application.

Wait until:

• the draw has been completed,
• you have been officially selected,
• the digital card has been issued,
• and the card has been successfully activated.

Until all these steps are complete, there is no guarantee that you will be able to use the programme funds.

Check Whether Split Payments Are Available

The card may be used:

• for the full amount at one accommodation provider,
• through several payments at the same property,
• or across different eligible accommodation businesses.

All payments must be completed within the selected validity period and before the available balance expires.

If the accommodation costs more than the remaining amount on the card, ask whether the hotel accepts split payments.

For example:

• part of the bill may be paid with the Tourism for All card,
• and the remaining amount may be paid with a personal debit or credit card.

Do not assume that every hotel website or booking engine can automatically process two different payment methods.

Confirm the payment arrangement in advance and, where possible, request written confirmation.

Read the Cancellation Conditions Carefully

The Tourism for All programme determines where and when the card may be used. It does not replace the booking and cancellation terms agreed between the traveller, the accommodation provider and any booking platform.

Before paying, check:

• whether the reservation is refundable,
• the cancellation deadline,
• any no-show charges,
• and how refunds are processed.

This is especially important because the digital card has a fixed validity period.

If a refund is delayed until after the card expires, the beneficiary may have limited or no opportunity to reuse the returned amount.

When the conditions are unclear, ask the accommodation to explain them in writing before you complete the payment.

Be Careful With Prepayments and Deposits

Some hotels request a deposit when the reservation is made and charge the remaining amount later.

Before using the card for a deposit, ask:

• whether the initial payment is charged directly by the accommodation,
• whether the remaining balance can also be paid with the card,
• when each payment will be processed,
• and what happens if you cancel.

A deposit processed during the card’s active period may be accepted, while a second payment attempted outside that period may fail.

The timing of each transaction therefore matters as much as the total cost of the stay.

Keep Confirmation Emails and Payment Records

After booking, keep copies of:

• the reservation confirmation,
• the payment receipt,
• emails exchanged with the hotel,
• cancellation conditions,
• and any written confirmation that the Tourism for All card is accepted.

These records can help if there is later confusion about who processed the charge, what the payment covered or whether a refund is due.

Do not rely exclusively on a telephone conversation. Follow up important arrangements by email or through the property’s official messaging system.

What to Do if the Transaction Is Declined

If the card payment is declined, the official guidance is to contact the bank or financial institution that issued the card.

The programme’s general support centre does not have access to individual banking transactions and may not be able to identify the exact reason for the rejection.

A payment may be declined because of:

• an ineligible Merchant Category Code,
• an attempt outside the validity period,
• insufficient available balance,
• incorrect card details,
• a technical issue,
• or a charge processed by an ineligible intermediary.

Before trying again, confirm with the hotel that:

• the charge is being processed directly by the accommodation,
• it relates only to the stay,
• the card is currently active,
• and the available balance is sufficient.

Avoid repeatedly attempting the same transaction without first identifying the possible cause.

The Safest Way to Book

Before confirming a reservation through the Tourism for All 2026–2027 programme:

1. Confirm that the accommodation is located in Greece.
2. Ask whether the property accepts the programme’s digital card.
3. Check which business will process the payment.
4. Make sure the charge covers accommodation only.
5. Confirm that the card will be charged during its validity period.
6. Ask about split payments if the stay costs more than the available balance.
7. Read the cancellation and refund terms carefully.
8. Keep written confirmation and payment records.

The Tourism for All digital card can significantly reduce the cost of a holiday in Greece. To use it successfully, however, travellers must focus not only on choosing the right hotel but also on understanding exactly how and when the payment will be processed.

A few minutes of confirmation before booking can prevent a declined transaction, a non-refundable payment or an unused balance later.