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Greek Minister of Tourism: Romanians will be able to travel to Greece in mid-April
The tourist season in Greek will officially start on May 14, but the Romanian tourists and the ones from the EU will be allowed to come starting in mid-April to be able to spend the Easter Holiday in this country, the Greek Minister of Tourism, Charis Theocharis, who paid a visit to Bucharest, stated on Friday.
He showed that, in order to enter Greece, tourists will have to meet three conditions: to show a negative COVID-19 test, to prove that they got the vaccine or that they already had the disease and show an antibody test.
Moreover, tourists will be randomly tested at the border by rapid tests, and the ones who will test positive will be placed under quarantine in a Greek hotel, with the accommodation costs to be covered by the Greek side.
"We want the EU to introduce very fast producers and develop and issue the green health certificates, but until then we are discussing technicalities with the Romanian Minister of Tourism to accept the certificates released by the Romanian state, which will also be issued in the English language, for now," said Theocharis.
According to him, after completing the vaccination campaign for the vulnerable population, Greece will vaccinate the personnel in tourism.
"Greece will be open for tourists starting on May 14, but for the EU and Romanian tourists it will open earlier, in April, before the Easter Holiday, since we know that our country is a very popular destination for spending the Easter," said the official from Athens.
The Romanian state will issue certificates for Romanians who had their COVID-19 vaccine and wish to travel as tourists, documents which will be recognized by Greece, declared on Friday, the minister of Economy, Business Environment and Tourism, Claudiu Nasui, at the end of the meeting with the Greek Minister of Tourism, Charis Theocharis.
"We will make the final decision during a Government siting, but this is the direction which we will be taking," Nasui said, during a joint press conference with the Greek minister.
Nasui specified that the aim of the Government is, firstly, the health of the people, secondly to continue vaccination and thirdly, opening up borders. He also said that he had similar talks with representatives of other countries, mentioning Israel.
In turn, the Greek minister, Charis Theocharis, said after meeting with Nasui that Greece wishes to receive Romanian tourists as quickly as possible and that the two governments are open to mutually acknowledge these documents which tourists will be traveling with.
He showed that Greek hoteliers are preparing additional benefits for those who are doing the PCR tests, which exceed the value of the test.
So that tourists who are taking the test are double benefiting: They are enjoying their vacation and receiving more, Theocharis concluded.