Greece has extended its ban on tourists from the UK
As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the likelihood of international holidays has been quite unclear. While some countries have announced they're welcoming tourists again - and airbridges are being discussed - others are being stricter with their boarder control.
Initially, Greece's tourism minister announced they'd be opening their borders to tourism from June 15, but has since confirmed the UK's number of coronavirus cases is still too high to be let in.
A list published at the end of May revealed Greece are allowing tourists to travel from countries including Australia, Croatia, Serbia, Romania and Lebanon, but that until the number of cases and deaths in the UK decreases, tourists from the UK will not be allowed.
The Greek Tourism Ministry said travellers from the permitted countries will be able to enter Greece on direct flights to Athens and to the northern city of Thessaloniki, and that they'd look to expand the list on July 1 to include other countries.
But today [July 1], the Greek government extended their ban on British travellers, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis explaining he would reassess thing on July 15.
Greece's tourism minister Harry Theocharis previously told The Guardian social distancing rules would be put in place to keep travelling in the country as safe as possible.
"We have to have new rules for hotels, new rules for beaches, new rules for pools, new rules for breakfast buffets, new rules for tour buses," he explained. "Once measures are relaxed a good month will be required to prepare the ground for the [tourism] engine to get started.
"Tour operators are waiting and hoping we can come up with the right rules so that we can start bringing visitors in. We have to strike the right balance ... be cautious, tough it out and make the best of it."
Currently, the UK Foreign Office has modified its statement warning Brits against all non-essential travel, and is no longer asking all Brits to return from international locations. This does offer a little glimmer of hope to those hoping to make the most of their annual leave.
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