Greece’s Tourism Minister Haris Theoharis appeared particularly optimistic about this year’s tourist season, saying the country is doing very well given the pandemic conditions.
“In the first ten days of July in Heraklion, Crete, we reached 83% of 2019 in arrivals. In total, at the regional airports, we are about 55% – 60% of 2019 and at the Athens airport in the last few days we have reached 65% of 2019.. the minister told ANT1 TV.
“The data are encouraging for the time being,” he added.
He stressed that Greece is top in travelers’ preference “in France and the USA” and stressed that “the image of our country has improved and that’s why they want us again.”
“We have to stay in quality and keep the cases [under control? low?] for the people to come,” he stressed.
Regarding the increase of Covid-19 infections and how this affects tourism, Theocharis noted that “the increase of cases must be closely monitored.”
He added that “we will take whatever measures are needed, because we do not want other countries to place us in quarantine. If the increase in cases continues, there is no way we get away with it,” he said.
Minister Theoharis appealed to everyone get vaccinated.
“It is crucial not to give the impression that we are losing control of the pandemic so that our tourism industry can go on and operate normally,” Development Minister Adonis Georgiadis told a news conference.
I mentionned it once but I think I got away with it.
Good catch! I saw that one as well.
Take a bonus point for the “Fawlty Towers” reference. Maybe the Pols have been taking lessons from Basil.