In summer 2020, Greece is all set to welcome tourists worldwide. However, it will be strictly following the guidance of health experts to make sure that the country stays a safe destination in regards to coronavirus exposure, the tourism minister of Greece said on Tuesday.
“Every tourist is welcome. … This has been a very stressful year for everyone, and the refilling of the batteries is the call of the day,” Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis said. “But of course, we will have to wait for the experts, for the international bodies, to say when this is safe to do so,”
“We don’t want to put at risk the people that visit us. And, of course, our population,” Theoharis told The Associated Press in an interview.
The Greece government imposed a lockdown quite early in regards to the coronavirus outbreak. This move helped in holding infections to a level significantly lower than many European countries. As of Tuesday, Greece recorded with a total of just 2,900 confirmed cases and 179 death cases, with no new virus-related mortality recorded in the previous 24 hours. Eleven people remained incubated in intensive care units.
Slowly in Greece, restrictions in lockdown have been eased to the point where life is back to normal. However, it is dependent on tourism, and the government has been keen to draw maximum international visitors and help perk up the country’s economy, which is only gradually rising from a brutal decade-long monetary crisis that wiped out a quarter of the GDP
Now, authorities are fighting against delicate balancing act of endorsing Greece as a safe yet attractive destination while making sure that new entrants don’t prompt fresh outbreak.
However, information came Tuesday, when authorities declared that 12 passengers on a Monday flight from Doha, Qatar, had tested positive. The Civil Protection Agency of Greece said that it was cancelling flights from Qatar until June 15.
At present, all arriving passengers to Greece have to undergo tests and to spend the night in a designated hotel until the results come through.
“The point is not to stop every economic activity in order to help the health situation, but it’s actually to find this balance, and for that, you need your health experts to guide you,” Theoharis said.
Tags: Greece tourism
