Greece is preparing to resume tourism in June. Health passports and the possibility of applying “pro-visas” for tourists from the third countries are being discussed.
The government of Greece gradually, during May-June, plans to return the functioning of the economy and public life to normal.
According to Minister of State Akis Gerapetritis, shops, hairdressers, churches will be opened on May 4, and sports facilities, department stores, theaters, museums and hotels will work in June, if everything goes well. Strict health protocols will be established everywhere.
Tourism will begin function in June, and Greek resorts, which were little affected by the coronovirus, will be "extremely popular in the summer."
As the Minister of Tourism of Greece Haris Theoharis told, the 2020 season will still start in July in full scale and will last at least three months. It is possible that due to increased demand, it will also continue in October and even November.
A "passport" of health is a prerequisite for the entry of foreign tourists - a test of COVID-19, which travelers will do in their country of residence, before flying to Greece.
Now the Greek and the European authorities are discussing such protocols according to the “safe entry” methodology, which will be applied to everyone who comes to Greece by air and sea, as well as by car.
In the “best case” after a pandemic, Greek tourism will lose 50% of revenue compared to last year. In the worst case scenario, the decline of revenues in the sector will be 75%.
According to Russian tour operators, working in the Greek destination, the epidemiological situation in Greece is one of the best in Europe, which gives objective reasons for the resumption of tourism in the country.
