Greece Lifting Many Coronavirus-Related Restrictions for Summer Tourism Season

Government officials in Greece announced many coronavirus-related restrictions would be lifted before the busy summer tourism period, but could be reinstated in September if necessary.

According to Reuters.com, Greek health authorities said that between May 1 and August 31, tourists and locals would no longer be required to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination to enter indoor or open spaces.

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Indoor mask mandates will also be lifted on June 1, and the country is considering dropping the requirement of presenting an EU digital COVID certificate to enter Greece. Health Minister Thanos Plevris said easing restrictions was “based on the epidemiological data and suggestions from experts.”

Plevris told Reuters all coronavirus-related measures would be re-evaluated in September.

Greece’s summer tourism season is set to begin onApril 24 and officials expect a high number of visitors this year, with experts predicting revenue reaching 80 percent of 2019 levels. Before the pandemic, the nation attracted more than 33 million visitors.

In February, economists predicted that Greece’s national economy would grow by 4.5-to-5 percent this year, due in part to the resilience of the tourism sector. In 2021, the country’s economy climbed 9.0-to-9.5 percent due to the tourism industry’s 76.6 percent year-on-year increase over the first nine months of the year.

While Greece is ready to welcome Americans back, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) still lists the popular tourism destination on its highest cautionary tier, Level 4.