Greek Tourist Board: more clarity on tourism

After the lack of clarity just before Pentecost about whether or not Dutch people will be allowed in Greece, the Greek Tourist Board is coming up with a clarification of the rules on Monday evening. The message: Greece is ready to receive tourists again, but with a timeline.

Below is the timeline, followed by the main frequently asked questions.

Phase 1: until June 15
– International flights to El Venizelos/Athens are allowed.
– All visitors are tested upon arrival and must spend the first night in a designated hotel.
– If the test is negative, the visitor must remain in self-quarantine for 7 days.
– If the test is positive, the visitor must remain in quarantine, under supervision, for 14 days.

Phase 2: June 15 to 30
– International flights to El Venizelos/Athens and Thessaloniki Airport are allowed.
– If you are traveling from an airport that is not on the EASA list (list of airports in affected areas at high risk of transmitting the virus), you will only be randomly tested upon arrival.
(EASA is the European aviation organization, European Union Aviatian Safety Agency, which maintains a list of airports in “risk areas. This is the most recent list, from May 29. The list is continuously updated, ed.)
– If you do travel from an EASA listed airport, you will be tested upon arrival. An overnight stay in a designated hotel is required. If the test is negative, the visitor places himself in self-quarantine for 7 days. If the test is positive, the visitor must remain in quarantine, under supervision, for 14 days.

Phase 3: as of July 1
– International flights to all airports in Greece are allowed.
– Visitors are randomly tested upon arrival.
– Additional restrictions for certain countries will be announced later.

Supplemental
– Visitors coming from the following neighboring countries: Albania, North Macedonia and Bulgaria will again be allowed as of June 15.
– These visitors are randomly tested.
– Visitors coming to Greece from the sea will be allowed again from July 1.
– These visitors are randomly tested.

Greece reserves the right at any stage to adjust all of the above if circumstances change.

Frequently Asked Questions
Q: The European Commission has recommended that member states restrict non-essential travel from third countries until June 15, 2020. Does this apply to Greece?
A: Yes. Non-essential travel from third countries to Greece is restricted until June 15, 2020.

Q: Until June 15, 2020, all visitors coming to Greece must take a mandatory Covid-19 test and they must be quarantined. Does this apply to citizens of all countries?
A: Yes. All travelers, regardless of nationality, and including citizens of the EU and Schengen-Plus countries, are tested and quarantined. The same rules apply to Greek citizens. If the test is negative, visitors must be in self-quarantine for 7 days. If the test is positive, citizens must be quarantined, under supervision, for 14 days. The measures are in place to protect public health and apply to all visitors. There is no discrimination.

Q: Are there direct commercial flights from international destinations to all Greek airports?
A: During the Covid-19 crisis, there were direct flights from many Schengen-Plus airports. Until June 15, international flights arrive only at the Athens International Airport: El Venizelos. International flights to Thessaloniki Airport will resume from June 15. As of July 1, all international flights to all Greek airports will resume. All domestic flights have resumed.

Q: What will change on June 15, 2020?
A: June 15 marks the start of the gradual return to normality. Mandatory testing and quarantine will be limited to travelers arriving from airports in affected areas at high risk of Covid-19 transmission. This is regardless of nationality and as assessed by EASA. This list is constantly updated and visitors should consult it before making the trip. All other travelers can enter Greece without restrictions. They can only be subjected to random testing.

Q: What will change on July 1, 2020?
A: All visitors are randomly tested upon arrival. Additional restrictions for certain countries will be announced at a later date.

Q: Is there a difference between flying direct or flying with a transfer?
A: No. The same rules apply regardless of whether a transfer is made.

Read more about all tourism measures in Greece here.