Greece will open to tourists who have received Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine from Friday, the country’s tourism minister has said.
The Mediterranean country, a popular tourist spot for Russians, is the first European country to open its borders to Sputnik V recipients.
The country will no longer require vaccinated tourists to quarantine for seven days upon arrival, Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis told the Russian Association of Tour Operators.
Russian tourists will need to present a vaccination certificate or a negative Covid-19 test result taken within 72 hours before the flight. Arriving passengers will also be tested at random upon arrival passengers, Theocharis said.
If the test comes back positive, tourists will be isolated at accomodations paid for by the Greek government.
Authorities are expected to clarify the start date of regular direct flights between Russia and Greece next week, the state-run RIA Novosti website reported.
Theoharis' announcement comes as Greece looks to reinvigorate its tourism sector, a major part of its economy, after it was pummeled by the Covid-19 pandemic. This week, Greece kicked off a multimillion-euro promotional campaign aimed at attracting foreign tourists.
