Greece to Register Increased Numbers of Tourist Arrivals This Summer Season

In an interview for radio SKAI and Aris Portosalte, Kikilias said that the country would register high revenues this year, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.

The Minister claimed that this summer season, the level of arrivals would increase drastically. According to him, around 500,000 travellers from the United States will visit Greece.

“We have never had 500,000 travellers directly from America to Eleftherios Venizelos and Athens – with the first flight starting on March 7 – coming from Atlanta, Chicago, Boston and all three American companies,” the statement of the Minister reads.

It has been estimated that there will be nine flights a day from the US alone. This means that around 63 flights will be registered from the US to Greece per week.

In addition to the above-mentioned, the Minister has emphasised that Greece plans to extend the tourist season and attract more travellers from other countries.

“Our strategy is simple. We bring the beginning of the tourist season earlier, we go later to the end, we create a specific “concept”, and we strengthen all the regions so that finally, without intermediaries – vertically and horizontally, without intermediaries – income arrives and the domestic economy is strengthened, everything our products and our primary production,” the Minister noted.

The Ministry of Tourism of Greece has explained that the country has already registered an increase of 180 per cent in northern Greece and an increase of 130 per cent in Piraeus, a port city within the Athens urban area.

Positive trends in the tourism sector of Greece have been registered since the beginning of this year. Athens alone amounted to €273 million in the first two months, thus registering a 306 per cent increase compared to the same period last year.

The increase in the number of tourists follows the relaxation of the COVID-19 entry rules. Greece dropped all of its entry rules on May 1. Since then, all travellers, regardless of their country of origin, have been permitted entry to Greece without being required to hold a valid vaccination, recovery, or test certificate.

Apart from removing the entry rules, Greece has also lifted its domestic restrictions. Travellers are permitted access to different public places, such as bars, cafes, restaurants, shopping centres, and other events, without being asked to provide one of the COVID passes.

In addition, Greece has also dropped the mask requirement. The requirement to wear a face mask now remains valid only when entering health institutions and some other places.