Greece welcomes Covid-free travelers

Greece has removed quarantine protocols for vaccinated visitors and those with a negative Covid-19 test from major tourism regions, such as Europe, the UK, and the US, marking an early step towards returning to normal, according to officials.

Although eligible tourists can check into hotels and enjoy Greece's sunny weather and beaches, they will face the same restrictions as locals, meaning restaurants and bars remain closed for dining, but takeaways are permitted.

This is the first time the country has allowed American tourists since March 2020, when Greece went into its initial lockdown due to the pandemic.

This move positions Greece as one of the first major European destinations to reopen to tourists ahead of the summer, potentially attracting a significant share of vacationers from competing hotspots.

The new regulations allow travelers from the EU, UK, US, Israel, Serbia, and the UAE, who are either vaccinated or have a negative PCR test within 72 hours before arrival, to enter Greece.

Officials confirmed that targeted rapid testing will be conducted at entry points, with quarantine facilities available for those who test positive. Health measures such as mask-wearing and social distancing will remain in effect.

Greece’s Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis shared with Dinogo that the country is taking initial steps towards reopening, with a full tourism opening planned for May 14, and ongoing adjustments will be made in the coming weeks.

‘Gradual reopening’

In addition to Athens and Thessaloniki on the east coast, direct international flights are now permitted to some of Greece’s most sought-after vacation spots, including Crete, Rhodes, Kos, Mykonos, Santorini, and Corfu.

Tourism represents over 20% of Greece's GDP and provides approximately 25% of the country’s workforce, equating to more than one million jobs.

Given the economy’s reliance on tourism and the slow recovery from a decade-long financial crisis, Athens has been strongly advocating for vaccine passports to facilitate EU-wide travel, while also negotiating travel corridors with non-EU countries.

Since early April, Israeli travelers with negative test results or vaccination certificates have been exempt from a one-week quarantine, but officials note that other ongoing restrictions and a recent rise in Covid cases have deterred most tourists, with only a few exceptions.

The announcement of Greece’s reopening on Monday was met with enthusiasm on Mykonos, the popular party island. Mayor Konstantinos Koukas revealed that 2020’s revenues, affected by Covid, were only 30% of what they were the year before.

Iraklis Zissimopoulos, CEO of the Semeli Hospitality Group, which operates hotels, bars, and restaurants on the island, called the removal of quarantine measures a symbolic gesture.

“It signals that Greece is staying true to its promise to fully reopen in May, and that’s a welcome sign,” he said. “We understand it will be a gradual process.”

‘Safeguard measures’

Although Greece’s vaccination rollout is proceeding slowly, with less than 10% of the population having received at least one dose, further restrictions are expected to ease in the weeks leading up to May 14.

Starting next month, after the most at-risk groups have been vaccinated, tourism workers are expected to be next in line.

Many of Greece’s smaller islands, with populations under 1,000, are now Covid-free after the entire local population received both vaccine doses. The vaccination effort is now extending to larger islands.

The goal is to turn these islands into designated Covid-free zones, which will offer more safe travel options.

“If all the residents of Mykonos, an island with about 10,000 people, are vaccinated, we will have a protective shield in place,” says Zissimopoulos, who is also a cardiologist.

One thing is clear: the demand for travel remains strong.

Earlier this month, a trial organized by travel industry experts saw nearly 200 Dutch travelers head to Rhodes, exchanging lockdown in their home country for a week of voluntary isolation at a beach resort.

Participants were restricted to the resort for the duration of their stay and agreed to quarantine for up to 10 days when returning to the Netherlands.

The “safe holidays” experiment generated over 25,000 applications in less than 24 hours, according to Martine Langerak, spokesperson for Sunweb, the tour operator that coordinated the trip in collaboration with the Dutch government.

Memorable moments

“The demand took us by surprise. It really shows how eager people are to travel again,” Langerak shared with Dinogo.

Despite Greece's determination to reopen its borders, some countries, such as the UK, still have travel restrictions in place, and Greece’s recent rise in infections could mean quarantine measures for travelers returning home.

Experts in Greece’s travel industry predict a slow start, with bookings only starting to pick up in July. This leaves many in the tourism sector uncertain about their summer employment prospects.

Roxane Seewoester, a 25-year-old wedding planner at Golden Apple Weddings in Rhodes, a popular destination that typically hosts over two million tourists annually, reports that most weddings last year were canceled due to the pandemic.

This summer, events are once again being gradually postponed.

“We work extensively with clients from the United States and Australia,” she explains. “It's a long journey, and people need months to plan. We hope they'll be able to join us to celebrate their special moments with loved ones and that we can all move forward with our lives.”