Greece is preparing to welcome tourists again – as long as they have antibodies, have been vaccinated or tested negative for the coronavirus.
Earlier this week, Tourism Minister Harry Theocharis announced the country’s plan to welcome travelers back by May 14 during a presentation at the ITB Berlin Stock Exchange.
“Greece is ready with a complete protocol for the summer of 2021,” Theocharis told Reuters. “Tourists will be welcome if they are vaccinated before the trip, or have antibodies, or are negative. All tourists will be subjected to randomized tests.”
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To prepare the country for visitors, Theocharis said workers in the tourism industry would be given preference to COVID-19 vaccines after the country’s vulnerable populations, Reuters reported.
Greece is preparing its borders for tourists who open antibodies, a complete COVID-19 vaccine or a negative test result by 14 May. (IStock)
According to the news agency, Greece is heavily dependent on tourism, with one in five workers working in the industry.
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Before the pandemic, Greece visited about 31.3 million people, reports The Guardian. Officials hope to have at least half the number of tourists this year, according to the newspaper.
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Greece is not the only country opening its borders to vaccinated travelers.
According to The Points Guy, Estonia, Georgia, Lebanon and Seychelles already allow travelers to visit if they have received a full dose of COVID-19 vaccine – along with other protocols, including a negative coronavirus test, depending on the country.
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Iceland, Lithuania, Poland and Slovenia also allow travelers with proof of vaccination or negative test results to visit. However, American citizens are currently not allowed to visit those countries, reports The Points Guy.
As of May 1, Cyprus plans to open its borders to visitors who have received the vaccine, but according to the website, it only applies to travelers from the UK and not the United States.