Israel and Greece have reached a much-anticipated agreement to clear the way for vaccinated tourists to travel between their Mediterranean nations. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the agreement in Jerusalem on Monday.
According to the announcement, the move will allow tourists with vaccination certificates to move between the countries “without any limitations, no self-isolation, nothing,” according to PM Netanyahu.
In joint statements to the press after their meeting, Mitsotakis applauded the fast-track vaccination of Israeli citizens, and underlined that Greece will welcome Israeli tourists after the lifting of pandemic’s restrictions “without additional requirements”.
Mitsotakis also expressed satisfaction with the 5-year collaboration agreement signed by the two countries’ tourism ministers on the sidelines of his working visit.
Tourism accounts for about a fifth of the Greek economy and employs one in five workers. The industry collapsed last year as the pandemic gutted revenues to 4 billion euros ($4.81 billion) from 18 billion in 2019.
The agreement with Israel is a big plus amid constant bad news of slow vaccine rollout, continued bad infection rates, and the slow burn of economic crisis looming over Greece.
Source: Kathimerini
View Comments (0)