Greece to reopen to tourists on 15 June

22 May 2020, 12:03 | Updated: 22 May 2020, 16:56

The Greek Prime Minister has announced that the country will reopen for tourism next month.

Greece will reopen to tourists on June 15, with direct flights to the country starting from July, the country's Prime Minister has announced.

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Visitors to the country from the UK and other countries will be expected to undergo coronavirus tests on arrival to the country, and will not be quarantined, according to a report by the Guardian.

However, the UK government is planning to introduce measures that would see anyone returning to Britain from another country be quarantined for two weeks on their arrival.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that 15 June is the official start date of tourist season, and that direct international flights to the country will gradually be introduced from July 1.

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Mitsotakis said: "Sample tests will be conducted on our visitors, and our general health protocols will be adhered to, without them … overshadowing our bright sun or the natural beauties of Greece."

He added, according to the Guardian, that "in the best-case scenario" the country would be accepting all tourists from 1 July.

The first tourists are expected to arrive by car from nearby countries.

Greece has recorded relatively low coronavirus cases and deaths - as of Wednesday these were 2,850 166 respectively.

Earlier this week, Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis, described reopening as a "very complicated exercise".

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He told an on online Economist conference: "How do we strike the right balance between protection and how do we preserve the core of the experience, because obviously people go on vacation to be free, carefree, to think about relaxation?

"And how do we do this keeping our infection numbers low and the strength of our health system [on a level] where it can deal not only with citizens but tourists as well."

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