(TAN): Greece reopened its major airports to international tourists earlier this week, hoping to revive the country’s tourism industry that was battered by three months of pandemic-induced lockdown, reports said.
The southeastern European country, which has one of the lowest COVID-19 infection rates in Europe, depends on tourism for 20% of its Gross Domestic Product, as per reports. Around 33 million foreign visitors travelled to Greece last year, producing revenues worth EUR 19 billion (USD 21.54 billion approximately), reports said.
According to reports, travellers arriving at these airports from countries with high infection rates are being tested for the virus and isolated for up to two weeks while those from countries with low infection rates are being tested randomly.
Flights from high-risk countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Turkey are being subject to existing restrictions, which is expected to continue at least until July 1, reports said.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reportedly said he wanted Greece to be the safest destination in the continent, because of which certain measures will be observed during the tourism season.
“I’m not interested in making Greece the No. 1 destination in Europe, I’m interested in making Greece the safest destination in Europe. We’re trying to save whatever we can from what many considered to be a completely lost tourism season,” he was quoted by NPR as saying.
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“You can come to Greece, you will have a fantastic experience, you can sit on a veranda with this wonderful view, have your nice Assyrtiko wine, enjoy the beach. But we don’t want you crowded in a beach bar… There are a few things that we won’t allow this summer,” Prime Minister Mitsotakis was quoted by Reuters as saying.
The Mediterranean nation reportedly started lifting lockdown restrictions after it managed to keep COVID-19 deaths relatively low compared to other European countries by imposing strict and early measures. However, as a result the economy was badly hit. Data from Johns Hopkins University showed, Greece, a country of reportedly 10.72 million, has so far reported 3,134 cases including 184 deaths.
Greece launched a new campaign for the 2020 travel season dubbed “Restart Tourism” earlier this month in preparation for opening its borders to tourists on June 15, reports said. The campaign was reportedly aimed at urging international tourists to visit Greece this year.
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