Greece will allow international flights to return to its tourist destinations beginning on July 1, the country’s prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced in a televised address on Wednesday. "The question of when and how to open is no trivial point for a nation that's been roiled by recession and economic turmoil for more than a decade.This country's GDP is at least 20% dependent on tourism, double the global average.With over 31 million tourists in 2019, three times its population, Greece has more than doubled its number of visitors in 10 years and billions have been invested in services and infrastructure. At least one in four Greeks works in tourism or related industries.Early forecasts had been projecting a booming year, leading Irene Petrakou and her two brothers to invest in the hotel they run in central Athens.Opened by their parents in the 1970s, the family business has been their main source of income. The list of countries is expected to be updated before July 1, The approved countries are Germany, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Cyprus, Israel, Switzerland, Japan, Malta, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Australia, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Albania, Estonia, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Hungary, South Korea, Serbia, Montenegro, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Finland.Greece relies heavily on tourism to keep its economy healthy and recovering from a decade-long crisis that finally ended in 2018..Officials imposed a nationwide lockdown in Greece on March 23, which helped to keep the number of COVID-19 cases below 3,000, but ground the country's tourism and business sectors to a halt.Just 175 people are confirmed to have died from the coronavirus in Greece.Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inboxThis material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Greece Opens For 2020 Summer Travel.
Yet, as Petrakou points out, there is still no clarity on when international flights will resume -- a major concern given "The first part of the summer is already lost," she adds. Join us on a 12-month journey to see them all "The current situation creates big cashflow issues for us." REUTERS/Alkis Konstantinidis/File Photo Greece is open to most travelers from the European Union, European Economic Area and the UK, and also to travelers from outside of Europe on … The Mediterranean nation, which emerged from a decade-long debt crisis in late 2018, relies heavily on tourism - about 20% of its output - for an economic recovery. Tourism and related industries make up around 20 per cent of the Greek economy, and the government has been anxious to ensure the tourist season is not lost this year.
""Yachting, for example, where you have a fewer number of people who are on a boat, and then they go out to eat or buy provisions," he says.
International flights to and from the country’s main airports will resume on June 15, after a nearly three-month lockdown. The countries are: Germany, Austria, Denmark, Norway, Cyprus, Israel, Switzerland, Japan, Malta, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, Australia, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Albania, Estonia, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Hungary, South Korea, Serbia, Montenegro, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic and Finland. Greece said on Friday it will open to visitors from 29 countries from June 15, days before its peak tourism season begins. Greece ready to open to tourists, PM says safety is top priority. The shield of health in every place of hospitality. Visitors will be randomly tested, the tourism ministry said, and the government would monitor and evaluate developments related to the coronavirus. City hotels are expected to re-open as of June 1, with seasonal hotels expected to follow up to a month later. Greece will allow international flights to return to its tourist destinations beginning on July 1, the country’s prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced in a Mitsotakis announced that the tourism season will officially begin on June 15.Health officials will conduct sample coronavirus tests at Greek airports and therefore it was decided that there is no need for a COVID-19 test before arrival in the country.
And the country's pragmatic prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, thinks it may, ever so cautiously, be a model for welcoming back some travelers this summer. The government in Athens hopes Greece's near-COVID-free situation may give it an edge over rival Mediterranean destinations. "They can only get on the plane with a negative test, or with a positive antibody test," he said.If all goes to plan, he hopes the country can start welcoming tourists by July 1.Given the amount of effort it will take to get here at a time when airlines -- including the low cost carriers that transport most of the country's foreign air arrivals -- have stopped flying most services, Mitsotakis is banking on "more high-end tourists. ATHENS: Greece said on Friday it will open to visitors from 29 countries from June 15, days before its peak tourism season begins. According to a statement by the Greek Tourism Ministry, borders will be “open… or redistributed. "Agrotourism, tourism in smaller hotels seems to me to be better suited for this new sort of post-pandemic world. From June 15th, domestic tourists will be able to receive appropriate services. Από 1η Ιουλίου, σταδιακά, θα ξεκινήσουν οι απευθείας πτήσεις εξωτερικού. The stakes are high. ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece said on Friday it will open to visitors from 29 countries from June 15, days before its peak tourism season begins.