Greece Is The First European Union Country To Open Its Doors To Tourists

Photo illustration (Jason Blackeye / Unsplash)

JAKARTA - Greece is one of the first European countries to reopen the tourism sector. This Mediterranean country has succeeded in reducing the death rate from COVID-19 to very low. So far, in Greece there have been 170 people who have died from COVID-19. Previously, Greece imposed strict locks from an early age.

The Prime Minister (PM) of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, announced that the country would reopen to tourists on June 15. The first foreign tourists are expected to enter the country by car from neighboring Balkan countries which have also recorded low infection and death rates.

"The tourism period starts on June 15, when hotels can reopen ... Let's make this summer an epilogue to the crisis (COVID-19)," PM Mitsotakis said in a televised statement.

According to Mitsotakis, direct international flights to Greece will slowly reopen on July 1. Later, tourists will no longer be required to take the COVID-19 test or enter quarantine.

However, Greek Tourism Minister Haris Theoharis said health officials would carry out on-site tests if necessary. In addition, the value added tax (VAT) on all transportation will be reduced from 24 percent to 13 percent in an effort to attract tourists.

The news comes shortly after the archaeological site of the Acropolis, located in Athens, reopened on May 18, coinciding with the opening of a high school and shopping center in the country. However, now the 2020 summer holidays in Greece will be very different from previous years for obvious reasons.

"The tourism experience this summer may be a little different from what you have had in previous years," said PM Mitsotakis.

"There may not be many bars open, or there are no crowds, but you can still have a fantastic experience in Greece, provided the global epidemic is on a downward path," he added.

Domestic travel restrictions have also been lifted since May 18, allowing people to travel from one area to another. Bars and restaurants resumed operations on May 25, the same day the travel ban on the Greek islands was lifted.

Meanwhile, hotels in Greece are scheduled to reopen on June 1 followed by seasonal hotel openings a month later. Currently, all international passengers must take a COVID-19 test upon arrival in Greece or go into quarantine for 14 days. Mitsotakis previously advised tourists to undergo testing before making a visit to Greece as a further precaution.

Meanwhile, all non-EU citizens are prohibited from entering Greece until June 15. Most of the low-cost routes that make up the bulk of arrivals from overseas Greece are also still suspended.

Mitsotakis said, although Greece is an example in handling COVID-19, Greek society has also been hard hit by the recession as a result of the global economic downturn caused by the pandemic. The only way forward, he said, is to make the tourist season run well and prepare the ground for a successful year in 2021. He hopes the coronavirus is a thing of the past.