ATHENS – The opening of the country to tourists from abroad is based on a careful plan that will be adapted as needs emerge, Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis said on Friday, from Crete.

Theoharis, who has been touring main arrival hubs in Greece, visited the city of Rethymno, where he spoke with mayors, business and hotel owners and workers. He noted that the prime minister had announced additional measures on Friday for workers and businesses in the tourism sector, and called on them to be patient.

He said that "tourists don't support the Greek product randomly, but because it has high quality, and this has been proven over time, especially in Crete's case." In addition, he said, a strong campaign by the country during the coronavirus pandemic kept the idea of Greece as a holiday destination alive.

Deputy Transport Minister Yiannis Kefalogiannis, who was also there, spoke of an excellent collaboration of the two ministries to prepare the country to welcome tourists by air or by land as of July 1. "Besides the airports, in the first few days we have already welcomed thousands of tourists coming through the northern borders, with the least of issues. This wil continue," he siad.