Greece and the UK Touch Base on Tourism Issues
A number of issues relating to tourism were discussed during a meeting in Athens on Tuesday between Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis and the UK Under-Secretary of State, Minister for European Neighbourhood and the Americas, Wendy Morton.
Britain is the second largest market for Greek tourism after Germany. In 2019 some 3.5 million Britons had visited Greece.
During the meeting, Minister Theoharis presented Greece’s plans for the opening of Greek tourism on May 14, which include ‘five lines of defence’ focused on the safety of visitors, employees and Greek residents. He specifically referred to the updated health protocols which will be followed by the country’s tourism enterprises.
Highlighting the importance of Britain as one of Greece’s most important incoming tourism markets, Theoharis suggested for Greece and the United Kingdom to explore the possibility of entering a post-Brexit tourism agreement.
On her part, the British Under-Secretary of State spoke about the digital green certificates for travel and focused on their importance for the restart of tourism in the post-coronavirus era.
Underlining that discussions between Greece and the UK at a technical level have progressed, she outlined the next steps of the UK government which recently entered step 2 of its roadmap out of lockdown. It is reminded that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the earliest non-essential international travel could resume for Britons is from May 17.
The Greek tourism minister and the British Under-Secretary of State agreed to be in frequent contact in order to strengthen the tourism cooperation between the two countries.
Τhe meeting in Athens was attended by British Ambassador to Greece Kate Smith.
In agreement with the above, we need cautious progress which is what i see this BUSINESS TRIP was trying yo achieve.
Can Greece ignore the Schengen protocol and allow visitors the freedom to enter and depart from Greece as many times as they want?
As a Minister of the Crown she was presumably regarded as having a good reason… it’s not racket science, Dom.
How was she able to travel from The UK more than a month before travel restrictions are due to be lifted? One rule for them – another for us!
Errr…. it was for Business was it not?
That is one of the exceptions and allowed as considered essential, thank goodness!
Otherwise nothing would change and we’d be stuck in lockdown for eternity!!!