Greece Outlines Plans For Summer Tourist Season

Update: The EU is adding restrictions on who can travel as of July 1, which could impact who is allowed in Greece.

Greece is probably my favorite country in the world to visit in summer, as it never gets old, from the food, to the climate, to the landscape.

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Over the past few weeks we’ve heard all kinds of conflicting details about what we should expect from Greece’s reopening for a summer tourist season. Just a couple of days ago we received some updated guidance, and now the government has issued new regulations again as of yesterday, so I wanted to share those.

Greece reopening to tourists in three phases

Greece is reopening to tourists in three phases, and the latest details published by Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents a different plan than we may have been expecting.

Visiting Greece prior to June 15

Greece is currently in Phase 1, and with this:

• All international flights are only allowed into Athens Airport
• All visitors are tested upon arrival and are required to stay overnight at a designated hotel
• If the test is negative, then the passenger must self-quarantine for seven days, while if the test is positive, the passenger must self-quarantine for 14 days

Keep in mind that as of now EU borders are closed through June 15, so outsiders can’t visit due to that restriction. It’s also always possible that EU border closures will be extended beyond June 15, though I know the EU is trying to avoid that.

Currently a mandatory quarantine is required for all arriving travelers

Visiting Greece between June 15 and June 30

Just a couple of days ago we believed that tourists from 29 countries would be allowed to visit as of June 15, but that’s not quite how it will work.

During Phase 2 in Greece:

• All international flights are only allowed into Athens and Thessaloniki Airports
• If your travel originated from an airport not on the EASA affected area list, then you are only subject to random testing upon arrival
• If your travel originated from an airport on the EASA affected area list, then you will be tested upon arrival and are required to stay overnight at a designated hotel
• If the test is negative, then the passenger must self-quarantine for seven days, while if the test is positive, the passenger must self-quarantine for 14 days

Greece will open to some visitors without restrictions as of June 15

Visiting Greece as of July 1

During Phase 3 in Greece:

• International flights will be allowed to all Greek airports
• Visitors will be subject to random tests upon arrival
• “Additional restrictions regarding certain countries will be announced at a later date,” so we will have to wait and see what exactly that means

Greece will open to virtually all visitors as of July 1

Are Greece’s restrictions arbitrary?

Given how interconnected the world (usually) is, it can be tough for countries to decide how to create restrictions to keep high risk travelers out. Should it be based on your nationality? Where you’re a resident of? Where you’ve been in the past 14 days? Where your itinerary originates?

Greece has created a list of airports located in high risk areas, and between June 15 and June 30, that will determine your eligibility to visit Greece without being tested and self-quarantined for a minimum of seven days.

This is based on where your travel originated, which is seemingly open to interpretation. For example, looking at the list as it pertains to the United States, there are 22 “high risk” states on the list, which means flying from an airport in one of 28 other states would make you eligible to visit.

Greece seemingly won’t be asking in which state you live, but rather in which state your travel originated.

Greece’s restrictions are specific to where your travel originates

How can you fly to Greece?

While I hinted at these restrictions above, it’s maybe worth recapping what flights we should expect and when:

• Through June 15, international flights exclusively operate to Athens
• Between June 15 and June 30, international flights will exclusively operate to Athens and Thessaloniki
• All of this means that through June 30 you’d have to get to Greek islands either by domestic flight or ferry
• As of July 1, international flights will be allowed to all airports in Greece, including directly to islands

Currently only domestic flights are operating to Greek islands

As far as nonstop flights from the US to Greece go:

• Emirates is scheduled to resume nonstop Newark to Athens flights as of July 1, 2020
• American is scheduled to resume nonstop Chicago to Athens flights as of July 7, 2020
• Delta is scheduled to resume nonstop New York to Athens flights as of July 17, 2020

The schedules for all of those flights remain subject to change.

Emirates is expected to resume Newark to Athens flights as of July 1

What kind of testing will Greece do?

Greece is currently testing arriving passengers, but there’s a stay near the airport required for one night, and then a minimum of a seven day self quarantine.

Once Greece welcomes visitors on a widespread basis, the country isn’t planning on testing everyone upon arrival, unlike Iceland. The only real testing for arriving passengers will come in the form of some spot COVID-19 tests.

Greece’s focus will instead be on safety measures within the country, including limiting the capacity of restaurants and hotels, improving treatment facilities, and having doctors readily available.

The country has fared quite well through the coronavirus pandemic. There’s quite a bit of debate about whether that’s because the government was actually effective, or if it comes down to Greece being quieter in winter, with few tourists, people fairly spread out, etc.

Greece is eager to restart tourism, given that it makes up about 20% of the country’s GDP.

Greece won’t do widespread testing for arriving passengers

Bottom line

Countries are constantly evolving their entry requirements for visitors, and Greece is no exception. What we heard from Greece’s Tourism Minister on Friday is different than what we’re seeing on Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs website this weekend.

Virtually everyone will be allowed as of July 1, while as of June 15 travelers from “low risk” airports will be allowed without testing. How that will actually be enforced or determined remains to be seen…

Of course none of this answers the question of whether people should travel to Greece when it’s possible, which will be a personal decision for people.

Is anyone considering a trip to Greece this summer?