Greece on Friday listed 29 countries from where it will accept visitors as of June 15 as the Greek government looks to mitigate some of the financial damage from the coronavirus pandemic.
The Greek Tourism Ministry said travelers from the permitted countries will be able to enter Greece on direct flights to Athens and to the northern city of Thessaloniki. The list will be expanded on July 1 to include other countries, the ministry said.
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Greece on Friday listed 29 countries from where it will accept visitors as of June 15 as the Greek government looks to mitigate some of the financial damage from the coronavirus pandemic.
Visitors arriving from those countries could be subject to sample coronavirus testing, the ministry said.
A passenger wearing a mask to curb the spread of the coronavirus fills in a travel document before she boards a ferry at the Piraeus port near Athens on Monday, May 25, 2020. Greece restarted Monday regular ferry services to the islands as the country accelerated efforts to salvage its tourism season.(AP PhotoPetros Giannakouris)
In this Monday, May 25, 2020 photo, a doctor of the Public Health Organization (EODY), center, speaks with the members of the non-for-profit Organization Symplefsi after she has tested the local residents for the new coronavirus, on the Aegean Sea island of Sikinos, Greece. Using dinghies, a GPS, and a portable refrigerator, state doctors have launched a COVID-19 testing drive on islands in the Aegean Sea ahead of the holiday season. The first round of testing was completed after trips to the islands of Milos, Kimolos, Folegandros, and Sikinos. (AP PhotoThanassis Stavrakis)
In this Monday, May 25, 2020 photo, local residents wait to be tested for coronavirus, on the Aegean Sea island of Folegandros, Greece. Using dinghies, a GPS, and a portable refrigerator, state doctors have launched a COVID-19 testing drive on islands in the Aegean Sea ahead of the holiday season. The first round of testing was completed after trips to the islands of Milos, Kimolos, Folegandros, and Sikinos. (AP PhotoThanassis Stavrakis)
In this Monday, May 25, 2020 photo, medical staff in a speedboat crosses the Aegean Sea, Greece. Using dinghies, a GPS, and a portable refrigerator, state doctors have launched a COVID-19 testing drive on islands in the Aegean Sea ahead of the holiday season. The first round of testing was completed after trips to the islands of Milos, Kimolos, Folegandros, and Sikinos. (AP PhotoThanassis Stavrakis)
In this Monday, May 25, 2020 photo, medical staff in a dinghy leaves from the Aegean Sea island of Milos to Sikinos island, Greece. Using dinghies, a GPS, and a portable refrigerator, state doctors have launched a COVID-19 testing drive on islands in the Aegean Sea ahead of the holiday season. The first round of testing was completed after trips to the islands of Milos, Kimolos, Folegandros, and Sikinos. (AP PhotoThanassis Stavrakis)
The 29 announced Friday are: Albania, Australia, Austria, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, Estonia, Japan, Israel, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lebanon, New Zealand, Lithuania, Malta, Montenegro, Norway, South Korea, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic and Finland.
A man sits on the dock at the port of Piraeus, near Athens, on Monday, May 25, 2020. Greece restarted Monday regular ferry services to the islands as the country accelerated efforts to salvage its tourism season. (AP PhotoPetros Giannakouris)
Visitors arriving from those countries could be subject to sample coronavirus testing, the ministry said.
Greece imposed a lockdown early in its coronavirus outbreak, a move credited with limiting infections. The country so far has a total of 175 deaths and just over 2,900 confirmed cases. No cases have been detected on the vast majority of the Greek islands, which are popular vacation spots.
Tourism and related industries make up around 20% of the Greek economy, and the government has been anxious to ensure the tourist season is not lost this year.
Passenger wearing masks to curb the spread of the coronavirus board a ferry at the Piraeus port near Athens on Monday, May 25, 2020. Greece restarted Monday regular ferry services to the islands as the country accelerated efforts to salvage its tourism season. (AP PhotoPetros Giannakouris)
A passenger wearing a mask to curb the spread of the coronavirus fills in a travel document before she boards a ferry at the Piraeus port near Athens on Monday, May 25, 2020. Greece restarted Monday regular ferry services to the islands as the country accelerated efforts to salvage its tourism season.(AP PhotoPetros Giannakouris)
In this Monday, May 25, 2020 photo, a doctor of the Public Health Organization (EODY), center, speaks with the members of the non-for-profit Organization Symplefsi after she has tested the local residents for the new coronavirus, on the Aegean Sea island of Sikinos, Greece. Using dinghies, a GPS, and a portable refrigerator, state doctors have launched a COVID-19 testing drive on islands in the Aegean Sea ahead of the holiday season. The first round of testing was completed after trips to the islands of Milos, Kimolos, Folegandros, and Sikinos. (AP PhotoThanassis Stavrakis)
In this Monday, May 25, 2020 photo, local residents wait to be tested for coronavirus, on the Aegean Sea island of Folegandros, Greece. Using dinghies, a GPS, and a portable refrigerator, state doctors have launched a COVID-19 testing drive on islands in the Aegean Sea ahead of the holiday season. The first round of testing was completed after trips to the islands of Milos, Kimolos, Folegandros, and Sikinos. (AP PhotoThanassis Stavrakis)
In this Monday, May 25, 2020 photo, medical staff in a speedboat crosses the Aegean Sea, Greece. Using dinghies, a GPS, and a portable refrigerator, state doctors have launched a COVID-19 testing drive on islands in the Aegean Sea ahead of the holiday season. The first round of testing was completed after trips to the islands of Milos, Kimolos, Folegandros, and Sikinos. (AP PhotoThanassis Stavrakis)
In this Monday, May 25, 2020 photo, medical staff in a dinghy leaves from the Aegean Sea island of Milos to Sikinos island, Greece. Using dinghies, a GPS, and a portable refrigerator, state doctors have launched a COVID-19 testing drive on islands in the Aegean Sea ahead of the holiday season. The first round of testing was completed after trips to the islands of Milos, Kimolos, Folegandros, and Sikinos. (AP PhotoThanassis Stavrakis)