Summer vacations to Greece look promising for Americans this year

On Tuesday, Greece's Tourism Minister Harry Theocharis revealed that travel will be possible for all tourists this summer, irrespective of their country of residence.

“Greece is ready with a complete protocol for summer 2021,” Theocharis said. “Tourists will be welcome if before travel they are either vaccinated, or have antibodies, or test negative. All tourists will be subject to random testing.”

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The sun-soaked nation will reportedly seek to completely reopen to tourists by mid-May, Reuters reports.

Tourism accounts for around one-fifth of the Greek economy, also employing one in five workers. It's for this reason that the Greek government is prioritizing the vaccination of its hospitality and tourism workers to ensure the safety of both the workers and those who wish to take a well-earned vacation in Greece this summer.

Greece is an incredibly popular destination for Americans. So much so that Emirates recently announced it would be reinstating its route connecting New York with the Greek capital Athens. From there, it's only a short flight or ferry ride before arriving on idyllic islands such as Santorini.

The news comes as countries around the world are announcing that tourists will be welcomed back with open arms, so long as they are vaccinated.

In conjunction with entry regulations for vaccinated tourists, a series of vaccine or digital health passports have come into development. It is hoped this will make for a more streamlined and secure journey for travelers who will be able to use the technology to upload documentation pertaining to COVID-19 vaccination or negative test result information.

Many countries have opted to introduce "red" or "high-risk" lists throughout the pandemic. This generally means that citizens from countries that feature on such a list are either completely banned from visiting or have to undergo strict quarantine measures on arrival.

For Americans, the U.S. has featured on such lists for much of the pandemic. However, there are now more than 60 countries and territories where Americans are once again able to travel.