On the island of Santorini, the Prime Minister promotes tourism in Greece

The Greek island of Santorini, its landscapes, its archaeological sites ... Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotaki (center) carried out a tourist promotion operation in Greece, Saturday June 13, 2020. REUTERS

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In Greece, the tourist season officially starts from this Monday, June 15, with the gradual reopening of the airspace intended for visitors. In Santorini, one of the most emblematic and most visited Greek islands, the Greek Prime Minister carried out this weekend an operation to promote tourism, one of the main engines of the country's economy.

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with our correspondent in Athens, Joël Bronner

Identified by the image of its white facades dressed in blue roofs, the island of Santorini is a symbol of Greece and its tourism. She is even a cliché. It is therefore here that the Greek Prime Minister donned his VRP costume for a communication operation for foreign visitors. 

To complete the postcard, Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke in English - at an outdoor press conference - with the sea and the setting sun on the horizon. “  As you know, tourism is extremely important to the Greek economy. From now on, tourism is back in Greece! We are about to lift most of the restrictions on outside flights. We open up to visitors. But we do it with your safety as a priority. Today my message is very simple: Come to Greece!  "

I am not interested in making Greece the number one destination in Europe. I am interested in making Greece the safest destination in Europe. pic.twitter.com/0xAJOZV1kt

  Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) June 13, 2020

Read also : Greece reopens its cafes and restaurants, not without concern 

Even if the coronavirus has relatively spared Greece, which has recorded less than 200 victims, the tourist season promises to be very difficult. For Athens, it is above all a question of limiting the damage, with the hope of a massive return of tourists from 2021. In 2019, the country welcomed 33 million tourists and this sector represents 25% of the GDP.

In the meantime, an official campaign promotes "the Greek summer", presented as a "state of mind". It is therefore, so to speak, as a head of state of mind that the Prime Minister rallied Santorini this weekend.

Read also : The impact of Covid-19 on the world economy (infographic)

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  • Greece
  • Coronavirus
  • Confinement
  • Tourism