Greece ready to open its tourist season, announces Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis

Greece is back and ready to open its doors to visitors. Safety is the top priority, according to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

“We are ready to extend Greece’s legendary hospitality and welcome back our foreign visitors.” the prime minister said during a press conference for foreign journalists held on the Greek island of Santorini.

In one of the most stunning sunsets in the world, the Greek Prime Minister officially announced the reopening of Greece after Covid-19 and the launch of the tourist season on Monday 15 June.

“My message to you today is very simple. Come to Greece! Tell your friends, readers, listeners and viewers that we are open and welcome.” Mitsotakis said, stressing that this summer is, “different from other summers we have faced in modern history”.

Flights resumed in all Greek regions from 1 July

From Monday 15 June, international flights are allowed at Athens and Thessaloniki airports. In a few weeks’ time, from 1 July, travellers from abroad will also be able to land at the country’s regional airports.

According to the new rules that Greek tourism has imposed in the post-Covid-19 era, by 1 July, travellers arriving from certain parts of the world will be compulsorily tested for the new coronavirus. After 1 July, most tourists will be able to be randomly tested for Covid-19, but there will be no further restrictions.

“We have worked very hard to ensure that our visitors will be safe and stay healthy during their stay here. And if, at some point, we are faced with a localised outbreak, we have the medical and civil protection infrastructure in place to deal with it quickly and effectively,” the Prime Minister added.

Pointing to the success Greece has enjoyed in dealing with the coronavirus crisis, the Prime Minister said that “this unique Greek summer” will be very special for visitors in the weeks and months ahead.

“And this is just the beginning. In 2021-2022, I hope, we will build on what we started this summer,” Mitsotakis said.

Asked if the Greek government is in contact with airlines to reopen or launch new routes to Greece, the Greek prime minister said there are discussions going on with both airlines and tour operators.

“I can say that there is a significant demand to travel to Greece, especially from our main markets, Germany being the biggest,” he added.

Greece, one of the safest destinations in Europe

Last year, Greece saw about 33 million tourists, and this year it expects to receive only a fraction of that number. According to the prime minister, this will depend on how comfortable people feel travelling to Greece, both by air and by land.

“Our ability to project Greece as a safe destination matters a lot. I am not interested in making this country the number one destination in Europe, but the safest destination in Europe,” Mitsotakis stressed.

According to him, the Greek government aims, if travel is going well in the country in July, and the news is still positive, for people to book holidays even after the end of summer, and for the tourist season to be extended with the arrival of tourists, continuing into September, October and even November.