Two women walk in the streets of Fyra in the island of Santorini on June 14, 2020 as the country prepares for the return of tourists to Greece from around 30 countries by air, sea and land. – From the emblematic island of Santorini, Greek Prime Minister said on June 13 that Greece is “ready to welcome tourists” in complete safety after the coronavirus lockdown, whose impact on tourism will be “significant”. With its postcard landscape splashed with sunshine, the island of Santorini, one of the most touristic in Greece, awaits the return of tourists on June 15, divided between impatience to revive its effervescence and fear of seeing the coronavirus emerge from which it had so far been preserved. (Photo by ARIS MESSINIS / AFP)
ATHENS — The Greek island of Kos will host dozens of German doctors for free from Monday, the tourism ministry said as the country prepared to reopen its regional airports to passenger flights.
The visiting 170 doctors will be hosted for free “in recognition and gratitude for their contribution in combating the coronavirus in Germany,” the Greek tourism ministry said. Officials from German tour operator TUI will be among the passengers and will meet with Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis on the island, the ministry said.
The flight from Germany will land two days before Greece is officially scheduled to open its regional airports to passenger traffic on July 1.
Greece has registered fewer than 200 deaths attributed to COVID-19.
Safe vacation
With a quarter of the nation’s economy dependent on tourism, the government seeks to reassure potential visitors they can safely vacation in Greece as Europe begins to open back up to travel.
Nearly 80 hotels nationwide have been set aside to exclusively accommodate COVID-19 cases, state TV ERT said.
Hundreds of tests are to be conducted daily at regional and island airports around the country, according to the civil protection authority.
Passengers will have to fill out locator forms, including their address of stay, at least 48 hours before entering the country.
The EU has yet to determine a list of “safe” countries allowed to visit Europe.
The proposed list so far includes Algeria, Australia, Canada, Georgia, Japan, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Rwanda, Serbia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia and Uruguay. –AFP