SPI Launches Economic Impact Study on the Greek Film and Television Cash Rebate
Olsberg•SPI (SPI) today publishes The Economic Impact of Greece’s Film and Television Production Incentive and Roadmap for Future Growth, an economic impact study of the cash rebate programme offered in Greece for international and domestic productions.
The study was commissioned by Oxbelly AMKE, a Greek non-profit organisation supporting the creative and economic development of the Greek audiovisual sector, and presented to Government and the Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center S.A. (EKKOMED).
The analysis of over 400 projects that were either funded or approved for the cash rebate between 2018 and 2025 finds that incentivised productions filming in Greece produced an impressive economic return on investment (ROI) of 4.2, meaning that every €1 of public investment in the cash rebate generated €4.20 of net gross value added (GVA). In addition, the rebate created an average of 2,900 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs annually and contributed €928.7 million in GVA to the Greek economy.
The study also examines the micro impacts of incentivised film and television production activity, including the ripple effect of spending on other sectors of the Greek economy and across geographical areas. Furthermore, the study assesses additional spillover impacts of incentivised film and television production activity, including innovation and technological specialisation and the promotion of Greece’s international brand, overall and as a tourist destination.
The study utilises a mixed methods approach, including extensive desk research, data collection, and confidential consultations with key stakeholders in Greece and internationally. In preparing the study, SPI collaborated with the Foundation for Economic & Industrial Research (IOBE), which peer-reviewed SPI’s methodology and results.
In addition, the study provides recommendations for the further development of Greece’s screen production sector, such as the ongoing and stable financing of the cash rebate by the state over time, the simplification and acceleration of the procedures and the strengthening of the international competitiveness of the program. In parallel, the study emphasises the need to strengthen the sector as a whole, through enhancing the development of production infrastructure and investing in human resources, skills development and vocational training programs.
Download the study here.
More on SPI’s Economic Impact Studies here.
Contact SPI Research Analyst Kiera Obi at kiera@o-spi.com to hear more about this study.