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Britons hoping to go on vacation after the lockdown is lifted may consider booking a getaway to Greece for mid-May.
Greece plans to welcome foreign tourists from May 14, depending on the state of the COVID-19 pandemic.
People living in England could be allowed to go on holiday abroad from May 17 under Boris Johnson Roadmap to ease coronavirus restrictions.
But tourists must have had a vaccine and a recent negative coronavirus test or have antibodies to the coronavirus, the country’s tourism minister said.
“We are approaching the exit of this dark tunnel thanks to the power of the human spirit and the progress of science,” said Haris Theoharis.
“Let me emphasize that no image could better portray the return to normality of tourism than the Greek smile, the Greek landscape, the Greek hospitality.”
He continued: “Regarding 2021, in Greece we are more than optimistic.
“We are ready, we are ready to share the experience of releasing the unpleasant memories of the pandemic with each and every one of our guests.”
He said a “pilot” reopening of the borders is likely to take place early next month, he added.
Last week, Theoharis said the country was prioritizing administering the COVID vaccine to inhabitants of about 40 small islands.
The islands, which each have a population of less than 1,000 people, include Halki near Rhodes, Kastellorizo off the Turkish coast, Meganisi in the Ionian Sea and Kythira on the Peloponnese peninsula, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Larger destinations such as Mykonos, Santorini and Corfu will be targeted once the smaller islands of Greece have been vaccinated, the newspaper said.
Greece is one of the most popular summer destinations for UK tourists, with Brits typically making more than three million visits to the country each year, according to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
