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Greece
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Greece kick-starts tourism season to revive battered economy

  • The opening of the tourism sector comes as Greeks will also be allowed to go about freely within the country for the first time since November
  • ‘We leave behind the dark clouds of fear and insecurity,’ tourism minister says

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A woman enjoys the sun at Plaka beach on the Aegean island of Naxos, Greece. Photo: AP
Agence France-Presse

Standing before the breathtaking beauty of the Balos lagoon in Crete on Friday, three German tourists couldn’t believe their luck at being there.

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“We searched for a location to go for our first holiday post-Covid and we … spontaneously decided to come here,” said Anne Marie Buhrer, 25, from Munich. “We can’t believe how beautiful it is here.”

The trio were among some of the first foreign travellers returning to Greece after the country kick-started its tourism season on Friday, hoping the lure of sun, sand and sea will bring a sorely needed revenue boost after last year’s miserable holiday season.

Greece is vying with Europe’s other tourism hotspots to woo back visitors.

France and Spain launched tourism campaigns this week while Italy said on Friday it was scrapping a quarantine requirement for visitors from the EU, Britain and Israel who test negative for the coronavirus.

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“We are raising anchor,” Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis declared as he launched the holiday season on Thursday evening from the ancient Greek temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, near Athens.

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