Getting a job in Greece for the summer is a dream of thousands of young travelers to Greece each year. Finding a "real" job in Greece can be a challenge - you need skills, it helps to be an EU citizen, you're often competing with local Greeks. But there is one job category that's ideal for an energetic young person wanting to stretch their travel dollars to stay in Greece as long as possible - that's working as a "promoter".

What's a Promoter?

If you're thinking this sounds like a freelance public relations job, you'd be right - sort of. But you won't be sitting behind a desk writing a press release. Instead, "promoters" are paid a small daily sum, usually 20-30 Euros, to mainly go to the beach and talk to fellow countrypersons or at least language mates. The "job" is to make friends during the day, and then stand out in front of the club or bar at night. As the throngs of barhoppers pass by, intoxicated already on the dizzying array of choices of where to drink, the "promoter" recognizes his or her new friends and calls them over. The "amazing coincidence" of meeting up again usually results in the group going inside for at least one drink where their "friend" works. For the "promoter", it's "Mission Accomplished". For the unsuspecting new friends, it's usually as good a place for a drink as any - and these planned friendships may end up as real as any formed quickly on a Greek island on vacation.

Ios - Party Island Extraordinaire

I chatted with one of the owners of a new club on the Greek island of Ios called Coo, designed to look like an ice bar such as you'd find in Reykjavik.

He told me that the average "promoter" will be paid just enough to cover a shared cheap room and some food and drink. He started as a promoter and now is a manager and a partner some twelve or fifteen years later. Particular small hotels and "rent rooms" cater not to the tourists, but to the summer workers, providing rooms for 12-15 Euros a day. While it sounds like the average "promoter" must be pretty footloose and fancy-free, it's not quite the case. Many of them connect up with a thriving nightspot and return year after year, until they grow up or age out. The manager at Coo told me that for Ios, there was a core group of about 60 promoters who worked at least part of every season there.
But the average visitor definitely has a chance to pick up this type of work. One "promoter" I talked to was approached by the manager of a bar where she was drinking. She was doubtful about the opportunity but took it on a lark and offset the costs of the rest of her stay on Ios.

Other Island Opportunities

Other tourist-intense islands with well-defined bar and nightclub "districts" near the beach also employ promoters. You won't find them on obscure or quieter islands. Other possible islands include the north coast of Crete, Rhodes, Corfu, and Mykonos.

Yes, Looks Count

In Greece, even in written newspaper advertisements you'll see age limits on office jobs - something along the lines of "Secretary under 25 wanted..." It's not any different in the promotions area. Good-looking guys and slim beautiful young women dominate the job. It also helps if you are multi-lingual, though this is not essential if you already speak the main language of the majority of the young tourists on the island. You have to be naturally outgoing and ready to chat up anyone, and not mind the somewhat deceptive nature of the task.

Can You Really Make Money Doing This?

Yes, if you fit the profile and are in the right place at the right time to grab a slot. But keeping your money is another thing - it's pretty much a subsistence wage job, not something you'll do to save up for additional travel or much beyond a ferry ticket to the next island. It's great for extending your trip funds in Greece, but that's about it. However, for many, that just might be enough!

Promotions Season

Promoters are needed at the peak seasons, but some places start hiring them early in the season, when every tourist counts. Think May-September, with the most opportunities in June through August.

Can I Line Up a Job Before I Arrive in Greece?

Usually places will only hire bartenders, cooks, and other "real" staff ahead of the season. The promoter is generally hired on sight.

Plan Your Own Trip to Greece

Find & Compare Discount Flights to Athens
Find & Compare Discount Rental Cars in Athens

Find & Compare Rates on Hotels in Athens and throughout Greece and the Greek islands.

Book your Own Day Trips Around Athens

Book your Own Short Trips Around Greece
Reader Reviews:Tell Me About Your Favorite Greek Island