Greece aims at post-COVID-19 tourism jumpstart

ATHENS – Still hoping to salvage a summer season with the gradual lifting of the COVID-19 Coronavirus lockdown, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis set a target date of July 1 for tourism to start.

That depends on whether there's any resurgence of the virus and how other countries deal with the easing of the pandemic, Mitsotakis having said while Greece will have strict health protocols that visitors should be checked before departures.

Speaking to some 500 executives and analysts of the Boston Consulting Group, via teleconference, Mitsotakis said the challenge for the tourism sector in Greece during the current, pandemic-battered year, is to acquire a bigger share of a much smaller "market pie” this year, said Kathimerini.

He also promised that a privatization program will go on and said there's more than ever a need for more investment in a "green economy" although critics said his New Democracy government wants to allow more development.

Government spokesman Stelios Petsas said letting organized beaches to reopen May 16 when a heatwave predicted to bring temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit will be an “important test” as to whether social distancing requirements will be followed.

“Everyone is watching Greece because, so far, it has shown an exemplary response to the pandemic. Now we are called upon to demonstrate that, with rules and maturity, we can enjoy the beauty of our country safe during this summer,” he said.

This will be the best way to restarting domestic, but also foreign tourism, he added as beach clubs that violate the requirements to keep umbrellas and chaise lounges at least four meters (13.12 feet) apart will face heavy fines and could be closed.

A government plan on transportation, including for airlines, is due to be released on May 15 and will detail health protocols required for air, shipping and road transport, so that both travelers and businesses know the new rules, he said.

Tourism is the country's biggest revenue engine and brings in as much as 18-20 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 185.29 billion euros ($200.3 billion,) needed more than ever this year.


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This is Sparta! Gerard Butler Honored in Ancient Greek City

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Gerard Butler poses with Roy Danalis Apostolopoulos, Honourable Ambassador of the City Of Sparta. Photo credit: roydanalisapostolopoulos, Instagram

Gerard Butler, the actor who famously portrayed King Leonidas in the Hollywood blockbuster “300,” embraced his real-life ties to the ancient Greek city of Sparta on Thursday night, when he was honored by the municipality at a special gala dinner.

The Scottish actor was seen getting animated on the dance floor as he celebrated with a number of well-heeled guests, just a day before running as a torchbearer for Sparta during Friday’s Olympic Torch relay through the region.

Butler was joined at the gala dinner by fellow actor Billy Zane, 54, who will also serve as a torchbearer. Zane is of Greek heritage; his family name of Zanetakos was anglicized to Zane by his parents.

The Scottish thespian was invited to take part in the relay as part of the celebrations for the 2500th anniversary of the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC, on which his film was based.

The Hollywood star will forever be associated with the fierce battle cry “This is Sparta!” – a line which has become one of the more iconic in all of film history.

Speaking to Greek Reporter recently, Butler described “300” as the “most intense and enjoyable movie I ever made,” adding “It made me feel Greek!”

Thessaloniki to Celebrate New Chinese “Year of the Rat” at Royal Theater

Still photo from the performance of the spectacular Chinese show. Credit: AMNA

The northern Greek city of Thessaloniki will celebrate the new Chinese “Year of the Rat” on January 6th with a performance by one of China’s major dance companies – the Chongqing Liangjiang Art Troupe – at the city’s Royal Theater.

The evening will feature amazingly-talented Chinese acrobats and jugglers as well as a ballet and works from the Beijing Opera which will transport the audience to the splendor of the Orient by immersing them into a new world of color, motion and music.

This show, called “Happy Chinese New Year,” will mark the fourth time that the noted dance company has visited Greece’s second-largest city.

The show representing Beijing constitutes an example of the depth of the cultural interaction between Greece and China in the context of Greek-Chinese cultural exchange in recent years.

As part of their New Year traditions, Chinese people wear new clothes on that day to symbolize a new start and fresh hopes for the coming year. Their lucky color is red, which represents optimism and a festive attitude, according to ancient tradition.