Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said in an interview on Monday he had high hopes the tourism season would start July 1, as the Greek economy is more than 20 percent dependent on tourists.
However, he also stressed the exact date would depend on airlines and the implementation of strict health protocols in foreign flights.
“Best-case scenario is Greece is open for business July 1, and we’re working towards that. The real question is will we be able to have tourists come in the later parts of the summer,” Mitsotakis told CNN.
Asked whether this will be possible, he responded: “Only if we agree to very specific protocols. Hopefully at a European level.”
The Greek Prime Minister then went on to describe the potential conditions that will allow entry into Greece. These included people getting tested before they fly out followed by monitoring once they arrive, either with an antibody or a PCR test.
“The tourism experience this summer may be slightly different from what you’ve had in previous years, with more social distancing, maybe no bars open,” Mitsotakis explained.
“But you can still get a fantastic experience in Greece provided that the global epidemic is on a downward path.”
Full Interview:
