Greece Prepares for Tourists

Summer is approaching, for Mediterranean tourism-living states, the season begins, but the Corona crisis still keeps hotels closed. However, preparations for their opening have begun, even in Greece.

For countries like Greece, where tourism represents near a third of the country's economy, closing hotels, blocking tourist tours this year because of Corona would be a serious blow. This country fears losing thousands of jobs in this sector. Therefore, the Greek government is taking measures to enable tourism during the summer despite Corona's conditions. By June, several-stage openings of hotels are planned. Some hotels have begun preparing but also beach cafes.

Charlie Chahine, owner of a beach café on the island of Santorini, enthusiastically introduced himself on Greek television. He greeted by telephone from the beach on the volcanic island of Santorini, where he had put the poplar glass between the beach shezlongs. Chahine thinks this could work vacation this year at Corona's time. Now clients can come, Chahine says.

But many of his colleagues do not believe that. Charalambos Voulgaris, owner of two tourist resorts on the island of Corfu, says “urism is ahead of the generation's largest crisis.” He is not very optimistic that hotels will be opened this year. “The economy here in Corfu depends entirely on tourism. Perhaps we may not open at all this summer, even if they open up, only a few rooms will be fought. We don't know yet, if we're gonna open, we don't know when we're gonna open, we have a very difficult time ahead. ”
Greek tourism lives by foreigners

The temperatures are currently rising in Greece, 25 degrees, the season should start with thousands of vacationers from England or Germany. But the beaches in Corfu are empty. No one can travel to the Greek islands, which has no place for home. Greek citizens will likely be travelling to islands from June, but tourism on the island lives by foreign vacationers. When are they coming? Greek Tourism Minister Charis Theoçaris' response: „This is a $1m question.” According to him, “does not depend only on us, but also on all other countries, on how they operate with the crisis. But our objective is to open tourism once in July. ”
Charis Theocharis hopes EU countries will soon agree to joint rules for opening borders. If this is not done, then Greece can, with specific countries, make bilateral agreements, allowing tourist travel.

But there are still many open questions: What medical tests should vacationers do before the trip? Should hotels make changes in their restaurants because of their distance storage? Will there be flights first?
European Tourists Come to Us

Greek Tourism Minister Theocharis hopes those questions will be answered by July. In a discussion on Greek television, he says, „this summer will certainly not have tourists from the US or other remote countries in Greece. Europeans too will hardly travel far to other continents. They can come to us. Because we're the safest place in Mediterranean space. ”

According to the Greek minister, the Athens government has reacted very quickly to Corona's risk and imposed restrictive measures. Therefore, the infection figures in Greece are very low, the country's opening for tourists can now be prepared. If the vacationers should be placed among the plexiglas windows for this many Greeks are skeptical. The mosques will not only prevent the virus, but also the breeze. He saw the Greek summer temperatures that catch up to 40 degrees can quickly turn into torture for vacationers.