ATHENS — Tourism Minister Haris Theocharis on Wednesday sent a message of optimism from the airport of Corfu. "Today is an optimistic day," he said and gave a symbolic character to his visit to Corfu.

The tourist season will open from Corfu. The tourist businesses will reopen and we will return a normality we all wish for," he stated.

Theocharis said that "this year will not be as the last one, we have already lost plenty of time" and underlined that the priorities are others . The health and the people which always were Prime Minister's top priorities".

With the gradual opening, he said, Greece will prove that, as it was a pioneer in the way it addressed the coronavirus in its first stage, it will be a pioneer in the opening to tourism. "We are certain that we are safe and we are certain that the Greek tourist product will be even upgraded for what the people want: relaxation, peace and a beautiful place that cannot be found anywhere else."

Theocharis wished good start and underlined "I will be next to you every day and we will resolve any possible problem. We will not leave the Greek tourism to its fate".

Greek tourism will prove it is here against all those that want to see pessimism and misery to prevail, he concluded.