Greece welcomed back international visitors from several countries last month, including U.S. leisure travelers, and has since reopened many of the cultural and culinary attractions that have long made the destination so hugely popular with the American market.
“Greece is very much ready, and the Greeks are incredibly excited to welcome visitors again,” said Sandra Weinacht, president and co‐founder of tour operator Inside Europe.
Weinacht has been on the ground traveling in Greece since May 24, stopping first in Crete before traveling to Santorini and Athens.
“I do recommend travel to Greece for this summer,” says Weinacht, who has completed site inspections at a number of open hotels, as well as meeting with her company’s Greek tourism partners and visiting a range of tourist attractions firsthand.
Greece is very much ready, and the Greeks are incredibly excited to welcome visitors again.
Many Greek archaeological sites and museums have now reopened with capacity restrictions, she noted, and outdoor seating is available at most restaurants, cafes and bars. Beaches have reopened; some activities providers are offering limited‐capacity tours; and indoor shopping has also resumed with restrictions.
“If it is a small store, only one customer at a time is allowed inside,” Weinacht said. “You see lines outside major department stores, [and] the majority of people walking in the street do wear the required [face] masks, but not everyone.”
Greece welcomed back international leisure visitors on May 14, 2021.
Credit: 2021 Greece National Tourism OrganizationAs of May 14, U.S. leisure travelers have been eligible to return to Greece without quarantining if they have been fully vaccinated; can provide evidence that they’ve recovered from COVID‐19; or they have a negative PCR test completed within 72 hours before their departure. American visitors must also complete an online pre‐arrival Passenger Locator Form, which asks questions about point of entry and accommodations during the stay. Clients will also be subject to random antigen COVID‐19 tests on arrival in Greece, according to the Greek National Tourism Organization’s website.
Weinacht, who flew directly to Crete from Germany, said Greek customs officials asked only for her vaccination card upon arrival.
“It seemed that those of us with vaccinations were let go faster,” she said. “But either way, it was a quick process."
The pandemic has been “devastating” on Inside Europe’s business overall, but Weinacht said the tour operator has seen a substantial increase in inquiries about Greece vacations in recent weeks, and has already begun planning for trips in late summer and early fall. A number of airlines have also announced plans to restart nonstop service from the U.S. to Greece, including Delta Air Lines, which resumed nonstop daily flights to Athens from New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) on May 28. Delta will also launch new nonstop daily flights to Athens from Atlanta on July 2.
“Outdoor‐friendly destinations like Greece are particularly in demand,” said Joe Esposito, Delta’s senior vice president of network planning, in an April statement. United Airlines plans to resume daily nonstop service to Athens from Newark (EWR) in June and introduce nonstop service to the Greek capital from Washington, D.C.’s Dulles Airport in July. American Airlines has announced plans to begin service to Athens this summer, and Emirates resumed daily nonstop service between EWR and Athens on June 1.
Meanwhile, American travelers needing to complete the COVID‐19 testing required before returning to the U.S. can do so at the Athens International Airport for 15 euros per test, according the U.S. Consulate & Embassy in Greece’s website. And for those curious about crowds in Greece, Weinacht said she didn’t encounter many during her visit, including her recent stop at the Acropolis in Athens, where she did note that restrictions about group size seemed to vary.
“At times, staff outnumbered visitors,” Weinacht said of her time at the iconic ancient attraction. “As of today, it is 15 [people] per group, and while there is still no need for confirmed time slots,this will likely soon be the case. ... Once the cruise ships start coming back to Athens, [reservations] will likely need to be implemented.”
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Greek National Tourism Organization
Inside Europe
