ATHENS – Tourism Minister Haris Theoharis on Tuesday appeared optimistic over the course of tourism this summer, speaking at an Athens Chamber of Tradesmen video conference.

During the video conference, attended by chamber presidents and representatives of tourist agencies and the market, Theoharis referred in detail to the government's plan for restarting tourism and gave answers to the participants' questions.

According to Theoharis, the message sent within and outside Greece with the opening of tourism was very important and he expressed his optimism regarding tourist flow levels this year. He said that compliance with the health protocols will significantly support resumption of tourism activity with safety and revealed that a US airline has expressed strong interest in increasing its flights to Greece. He also explained the government's effort to support tourism enterprises and the workers in the sector.

The president of the Athens Chamber of Tradesmen Yiannis Hatzitheodossiou underlined the importance of tourism for the Greek economy, as it affects the country's GDP, but also pointed out the need to protect public health, as many tourists are expected to come from countries with many coronavirus cases and he asked for the government's support for businesses and employees.