Corina Gouderjaan, 51, told Dutch broadcaster RTL Nieuws why she had applied for a ticket: “First I got corona and got very sick. Tourism is absolutely vital to the Greek economy, accounting for about one fifth of GDP and employment, according to the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE). Note: Please see my Advertiser Disclosure. Please check your email to confirm your subscription. They will have the use of the hotel’s swimming pools and restaurants but will not be allowed to go out on to the beach. Hellenic Parliament, Athens. NY had 5000+ new cases YESTERDAY. For … Updated: 21 Apr 2021, 10:26. I think the easiest way for them to stop any non EU resident going into other countries would be for carriers to require proof of citizenship/residence before boarding or check in. He said that all persons who have been vaccinated or who test negative could travel to Greece this summer. For example Malta allows travelers who have spent 14 days in a green or amber corridor country to enter. Personally I’d only take this as fact once borders actually open. On Tuesday, the Greek government announced that it will institute a new vaccination campaign in all Greek islands with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants, making those tourist magnets covid-free for visitors who are comping at the bit to land there for their long-awaited 2021 vacations. It’ll also be interesting to see what border measures have to be put in place between Greece and other Schengen countries to facilitate this, so that this doesn’t become a “loophole” for getting into other Schengen countries. 2021 Travel Restrictions: International Destinations Open To... EU Working on Vaccine Certificates Before Summer Travel Begins . I am vaccinated and have Schengen passport so I can go – booked a hotel (refundable rate) late July-August. I have a hotel booked for Create June 10 and then a couple of nights in Athens. Adam is right, what an irresponsible decision. Santa Marina (Marriott Luxury Collection). Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. I won’t have an “official document” allowing me into Greece, just the documents Greece requires to enter. The country would be countering the trend among Schengen countries when it comes to the border policy, so presumably we’d need to see some additional border restrictions between Greece and other Schengen countries. The move will on the one hand speed up the vaccination campaigns ongoing around the nation and bring its much-desired herd immunity closer. I assume you cannot leave the airport but best to check with your airline. Your email address will not be published. Still, the country’s authorities believe that the continued vaccine rollout will help restore the tourism sector by mid-May, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports. Our country’s plan for the opening of tourism is comprehensive. By Paige McClanahan. “Tourists will be welcome if before travel they are either vaccinated, or have antibodies, or test negative. Then I lost my job. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Can Credit Cards Be Canceled Due To Inactivity? If one is vaccinated why not travel if 1) you are permitted and 2) you want to travel? Obviously nonstop flights from the US to Athens do not pose an issue, but there are very few of these. Piggybacking on this thread. While we do try to list all the best miles and points deals, the site does not include all card companies or credit card offers available in the marketplace. Credit: Municipality of Glyfada/Zisimos Zizos. Believe me, I’m Greek and have a healthy suspicion of the capacity of government officials to deliver on their promises without disaster, but I do think they will work it out this time. Does one need to be vaccinated to travel to Greece? They just need to get the current spike under control as they open up. Lucky, this would be quite a project, but it would be interesting to see a post detailing exactly how a US citizen could get to Greece if the reopening proceeds as planned. Lufthansa allowed last minute rapid testing for transit passengers, unsure what UA will say. Greece’s plan to reopen to tourists is interesting for a few reasons: Greece is going through a second wave of coronavirus. The intake of vaccine doses to Greece in May and June from both Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer will contribute significantly to the implementation of this ambitious plan. NO, it is not possible to transit Switzerland from a high-risk country like the United States in order to travel on to another Schengen country. Updated April 15, 2021 Greece is lifting its quarantine requirements for travelers from several countries starting next week, almost a month ahead of its May reopening date. Can I transit FRA or MUC? There is a mobile unit outside the main entrance so you don’t even enter the clinic. Any information would be greatly appreciated on this! The official said citizens from the European Union, the United States, Britain, Serbia, Israel and the United Arab Emirates will be allowed to travel to Greece via the airports of Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Chania, Rhodes, Kos, Mykonos, Santorini and Corfu, and two border crossings. Help us fund therapy sessions for black women and girls, What You Need to Know About Airline Partnerships & Alliances, The Latest Coronavirus (COVID-19) Updates & Policies, The news, resources, & information you need, Guide To Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite Status, Cocaine-Snorting Anti-Masker Causes JetBlue Diversion, New Record: FAA Fines Abusive Passenger $52,500, Mystery Solved: Lufthansa’s Newark To Malta Route, Best Airline Credit Cards for Miles & Points, While most European Union (particularly Schengen) countries, that timeline could be accelerated even further. Earlier in the week, Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theocharis announced the country’s plan to bring tourists back to Greece by May 14, … May 19, 2021 19.05.2021 • 13:26 European Union countries agreed on Wednesday to ease Covid-19 travel restrictions on non-EU visitors ahead of the summer tourist season, two EU sources said. Passengers from those countries will not be quarantined, as long as they prove that they have received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine or show a negative PCR test carried out 72 hours prior to their arrival, the official said, adding the tourists would be subject to domestic lockdown restrictions. Greece ‘s authorities announced on Wednesday the much anticipated lifting of major lockdown restrictions such as the sending of sms to leave home, for shopping and other activities and the inter-regional travel. “We will gradually lift the restrictions at the beginning of next week ahead of the opening on May 14,” a senior tourism ministry official told Reuters on condition of anonymity. Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. Outside of banner ads published through the Boarding Area network, this compensation does not impact how and where products appear on this site. Personally I don’t see border restrictions in the Schengen zone at large changing anytime soon, especially with the situation that Germany is currently in, as the country has now been in lockdown for nearly six months. How many myriads will suffer lifelong consequences due to poor health as a result of said poverty. And I think that in itself makes it easier for Greece to open up. Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners. Those picked will have an all-inclusive getaway on the island of Rhodes at a cost of €399 (£344; $472) per person, but there are some catches. Last Updated: 6/5/2021. The Greek sector is almost entirely reliant on international tourism with the domestic population too small and still too financially constrained following the country’s 2008 debt crisis to make up for the drop in external visitors, according to the Financial Times. Despite a partial reopening last summer, the restrictions on international travel made  Greece’s GDP drop four percentage points, UN estimates suggest, as hotel and accommodation revenues slumped by two-thirds. The 27 member states of the European Union agreed Wednesday to the use of “green certificates” to facilitate travel across the bloc. Right, to expand on two points others have made: many often conflate Schengen and the EU with some sort of United States of America. A total of 85 islands encircling Greece will soon see all their residents vaccinated against the coronavirus ahead of the planned reopening of the country on May 14. I think so. Currently it is through May 12, but I expect them to extend. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises against all but essential travel to Greece based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks. But Schengen countries already restrict entry from other Schengen countries due to Covid! AirFrance has a JFK-CDG-JMK and vv connection this summer which is a quick way to get to Mykonos. Glyfada Beach. Greece has already allowed in hundreds of “test” tourists to see how the entry process might work; this is not a pie-in-the-sky declaration by a politician hoping to restart the economy, but the result of a genuine effort at figuring out how to balance tourism and safety. Required fields are marked *. Reports say that the doses to be received from Pfizer/BioNTech alone will add up to 1,500,000 for the next to months. I think if they have a month or two of no spikes the rest of EU will start to follow suit, hopefully most of EU opens up by fall. The Remembrance day for the Greek Genocide of Pontus was honored on Wednesday. What’s not to love about the food, the breeze, and the landscape? Make sure you have at least an hour and a half to connect. 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