Minister says safety plan for the return of tourists will be ‘realistic’
Greece’s plan to reopen its battered tourism sector this summer will ensure that tourists remain safe but will also be subject to change, depending on developments with the coronavirus pandemic, the country’s Tourism Minister Haris Theoharis told German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
In the interview, Theoharis said the government’s proposal is for the coronavirus testing to take place in the country of origin so that tourists “already feel safe when they board the plane.”
The government’s plan to reopen the sector will be unveiled in a few days, he told FAZ.
“We want a plan that will guarantee safety but will also be realistic. This combination is important so that everyone is able to feel good and relax,” he said.
“My mission is to prepare everything for the day when international travel will be allowed again. But if the experts tell us to take a step back, we will…We are planning the summer season on the condition that the situation continues to remain under control. We are not going to take unreasonable risks,” he added.
Asked about the European health protocol, he reiterated if the EU is unable to reach a joint decision, individual countries will have to take responsibility and proceed unilaterally.
