Greece Gives Travel From Malta The Green Light And Announces Mass Discounts On Flights And Trains
Malta’s Mediterranean neighbour in the East has just announced a slew of cost-cutting initiatives in a bid to attract more travellers to the country, and we’re invited.
One of the countries opening themselves to tourism as of next week, Greece has sweetened the deal for any prospective arrivals by slashing its VAT (Value Added Tax) or GST (Goods & Services Tax) on all modes of transport from 24% to 13%.
What this means is that flights into Greece, along with any buses, trains and internal flights, will now be cheaper.
“We will win the economy war just as we won the health battle,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said of the initiative, eerily echoing Prime Minister Robert Abela and Health Minister Chris Fearne’s own statements earlier this month.
“Let us make this summer the epilogue of the crisis,” Mitsotakis continued.
“We are opening up, but at the same time we are closely monitoring the situation,” Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis added. “Our aim is to be able to welcome every tourist who has overcome their fear and has the ability to travel to our country.”
With a population of over 10 million, Greece has fared relatively well throughout the COVID-19 crisis, confirming a grand total of 3,058 infections and 183 deaths. Over 1,300 people have recovered from the virus throughout the country.
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Phase One of Greece’s tourism period kicks off on Monday 15th June with the reopening of seasonal hotels around the country.
This is also the cut-off date for international flights only being allowed to land at the Athens airport. As a statement issued last weekend by the Hellenic Republic Ministry of Foreign Affairs explains, all visitors arriving by next Monday will need to stay at a designated hotel overnight while a swab test is carried out. If the test is negative, the person will first need to self-quarantine for seven days before going into the community.
Between 15th and 30th June, Thessaloniki airport will also be allowing incoming flights, with only random tests being carried out on arrivals from countries outside the EASA affected area list (this would apply to Malta).
Phase Three kicks off on 1st July, with international flights being allowed into all of Greece’s airports, and visitors only being subjected to random tests.
From next Monday, a long list of countries from South Korea to Finland will be permitted to send tourists to Greece… and yes, this includes Malta.
As it stands, however, Greece has not yet been named in the list of 19 countries and islands Malta will open travel to as of 1st July.
Here’s hoping these enticing discounts which are being offered to Greece’s visitors will still be available by the time Malta opens its travel corridor to our Mediterranean neighbours!
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