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“Looks” in Greece in sight of the “restart” of Greek tourism they started throwing them international media.
With a series of highly readable interviews in foreign media (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Die Weltonline, El Mundo) the Minister of Tourism Haris Theocharis presents to the international community the plan of the Greek government for the opening of tourism in 2021.
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“Clear and specific conditions”
As noted in a relevant announcement by the ministry, the intense international media interest in Greek tourism underscores the broader impact of travel traffic to Greece. “With our country as a pioneer, world tourism is taking a decisive step towards normality.”
Talking to the high-circulation German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the Minister of Tourism affirms that “our plan for the opening of Greek tourism this year is expected to start on May 14, with all those countries, from which we have always welcomed travelers.” He noted that “we are trying to create clear and specific conditions so that the travel market can adapt immediately and easily” and adds that “for Europe and some markets with a high percentage of vaccinated, we want to open in mid-April.” He points out that “further development of openness depends on the market and the level of preparation of the industry,” but stressed that “in any case, it is the government that must take the first step.” “This time, the opening does not depend, as usual, on demand, but on when we will be ready,” he said.
“Lines of defense”
When presenting, in the same newspaper, the business plan for the opening of Tourism, Mr. Theocharis mentioned in five “lines of defense”:
“Part of the security measures in our plan for the tourist season are the conditions for travelers to enter Greece. Each tourist will have a certificate that they have been vaccinated against the coronavirus or that they have recovered after being infected with the virus, or will show a negative test. This is the “first line of defense”. The second line is that we will carry out sampling tests ourselves upon arrival. In this sense, we will focus our control strategy on where we could have found concentrations of positive cases the day before. The third “line of defense” is to immediately quarantine visitors in the event of a positive test and then undergo a more detailed PCR test again. The fourth “line of defense” is the general safety rules, such as the obligation to wear a mask or keep your distance, restrictions in restaurants, buses, excursions, and so on. The “fifth line of defense” is that everyone must follow the same rules as the Greeks. If there is a mask obligation for Greek citizens, the same will apply to all, whether or not they are vaccinated. Lastly, vaccinating workers in the Greek tourism sector will also help protect against infections. “He will be vaccinated with priority immediately after the elderly and high-risk patients,” he said.
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“Easier to extend the travel period”
Regarding the extension of the tourist season, the Minister of Tourism pointed out to DOES that “this year it will be easier to extend the travel period.” “As of September, the vaccination problem will be solved and there will continue to be a lot of tourist demand, which will not yet be satisfied. Some will want to come in October or November. “Greece is preparing for this,” he added.
Talking to worldMr. Theocharis addressed the issue of the free movement of tourists in Greece: “There will be no discrimination against those visitors who have not been vaccinated. Everyone will be able to travel. This was very important to us, when Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis He proposed the Digital Vaccination Certificate in January ”, he emphasized.
When asked how important German tourists are to Greece, Mr Theocharis said that “for Greek tourism, the Germans are in first place! But Britain is following you closely.” The minister then reiterated that “German tourists do not need to be vaccinated to spend their holidays in Greece.” “A negative corneal virus test is enough. We want to create a safe environment for our guests. Because whoever does not feel safe cannot relax. We want to treat the people who come to our country like our family.” Not just because they are like that. the Greeks, but also because this year this is more important than ever, “he stressed.
“Greece has loyal tourists”
Finally, an interview with the Minister of Tourism “hosts” a Spanish newspaper The world, which in the corresponding article states: “Greece, a country of 12 million inhabitants and more than 7 million tourists (number 2020), has suffered, like Spain, the effects of the pandemic in its tourism sector, which represents 15 % of its GDP (13% was the figure corresponding to Spain before the pandemic crisis) “.
Tourism Minister Haris Theocharis, responding to a question about the categories of visitors Greece is targeting as a priority this summer, noted: “A significant success is that Greece has ‘loyal’ tourists, who repeatedly choose it for their holidays. This fact demonstrates their high degree of satisfaction and their firm support for our country. The sea, the sun, history, culture, gastronomy, alternative activities and in the case of large cities the city breaks down, they are the reasons why tourists choose Greece for their holidays. This is especially true for tourists who mainly come from Germany and the UK, while France, Italy, Russia, the US and the Balkan countries are the other important markets for our tourism sector.
Praise for the way Greek tourism opens from Cairo
The praise of the Egyptian side for the way Greece is approaching the opening of tourism, was expressed this morning in Cairo. Egypt’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Dr. Khalid El Anani, welcoming Mr. Theocharis.
According to the APE – MPE correspondent, Mr. Theocharis, said that his Egyptian counterpart praised Greece “for our model and for the way we open up. He told us that its bases are also the bases of the opening of tourism in Egypt. ”, Emphasizing that“ we are happy when there is this level of cooperation ”.
“We looked to the future, we saw how we could work even more intensively, closer and more productively, and in international organizations, in the World Tourism Organization with which we are on the Executive Committee, but also mainly in the cruise sector. , an area that is very “It is promising for the future, but above all it is an area that can bring the two countries closer together, because what unites us is the Mediterranean Sea, which does not divide us, it unites us”, Mr. Theocharis.
