Greece reopens beaches to lure in foreign visitors

·

With widely spaced sun loungers and regular disinfections, Greece reopened its organised beaches on Saturday as the popular Mediterranean holiday destination eases COVID-19 curbs in preparation for the return of foreign visitors next week.

Tourism accounts for about a fifth of Greece’s economy and jobs, and – after the worst year on record for the industry last year – the country can ill afford another lost summer.

“We’re pinning our hopes on tourism,” said Nikos Venieris, who manages a sandy beach in the seafront suburb of Alimos, just outside the capital, Athens, where social distancing measures will remain in place.

“We’re one of the places along the Athens riviera … that receives many tourists so the number of visitors from abroad will play a big role in our finances,” he added.

People enjoy the sea during the official reopening of beaches to the public, following the easing of measures against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Athens, Greece, May 8, 2021. REUTERS/Costas Baltas

Under current measures, beach managers like Venieris will have to place umbrellas at least four metres (13 feet), carry out regular disinfections and test beach bar employees and other staff for COVID-19.

Greece fared well in keeping the first wave of the pandemic under control last year but a resurgence in cases pushed health services to the limit and prompted authorities to impose a second lockdown in November.

As infections have fallen and vaccinations gathered pace, authorities have steadily eased restrictions, opening bars and restaurants earlier this week.

People enjoy the sea during the official reopening of beaches to the public, following the easing of measures against the spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in Athens, Greece, May 8, 2021. REUTERS/Costas Baltas.

On Friday, they announced that museums would reopen next week before the lifting of travel restrictions on vaccinated foreign visitors on May 15.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said a combination of widespread testing, immunisation, and the fact that many activities would take place outdoors gave authorities confidence that tourists would be able to visit safely.

For Greek beach lovers, Saturday’s reopening of the country’s largest beaches was a chance to let off steam after months of lockdown.

“We’ve been longing for this for six months now, because we’re winter swimmers and we’ve really missed it,” said Spiros Linardos, a pensioner, reclining on a sun lounger at Alimos.

Sourced By; Reuters

greek film festival melbourne

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Greek Australian singer Vassy withdraws from Russian Intervision contest

Greek Australian singer and producer Vasiliki Karagiorgos, known professionally as Vassy, has withdrawn at the last minute.

Australia formally recognises Palestinian state amid global shift

Australia has formally recognised Palestine as a sovereign and independent state, marking a landmark change in foreign policy.

Kostas Sloukas praises Greek Australian fans as Panathinaikos arrive in Sydney

Panathinaikos BC touched down in Sydney this week for the second leg of the 7th Pavlos Giannakopoulos Tournament.

From family legacy to the Federal Court: A look into Justice Anastasis Liveris’ legal career

In an exclusive interview with The Greek Herald, the Greek Australian judge reflected on how he felt to achieve this major career milestone.

The Greek influence on Australian television

Among the many communities that helped shape TV culture were Greeks, whose presence both on and off screen left a lasting mark.

You May Also Like

Nick Kyrgios to play at Mallorca ATP as future remains uncertain

Nick Kyrgios may be nearing the end of his career, particularly in singles, as 2025 could be his final year on tour.

SYRIZA politician resigns over sexual abuse allegations

Alex Georgoulis, a member of the European Parliament for SYRIZA has resigned from Greece's opposition party over sexual abuse allegations.

Trump announces 25% tariffs but signals possible exemption for Australian steel

US President Donald Trump has stated he will give "great consideration" to exempting Australian steel and aluminium exports from new tariffs.