Archive for svibnja 2020

Home Archive for svibnja 2020

As European countries begin lifting COVID-19 restrictions, many people across the continent have begun thinking about whether they can have a holiday this summer.

But where can you access and what is still off-limits?

There is a mixed picture across Europe, with the usually easy travel across the Schengen Area restricted.

Almost every country has its own rules in place and its own timetable for reopening to tourists, both from its EU neighbours and further afield.

If you're intending on coming to the EU for a holiday it's worth knowing the bloc's external borders are set to be closed until June 15. But that only applies if you're a non-EU citizen coming from a non-EU country.

But it's all changing quickly, so here's our updated guide to the border situation in Europe this summer.

Austria

Austria has closed its land borders with Germany, Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.

Vienna plans to fully reopen its frontier with Germany on June 15. Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said he was optimistic similar understandings could be reached with other neighbouring countries in the coming week (25-31 May).

For anyone who does arrive in Austria, for example by air, a medical certificate must be produced proving a negative COVID-19.

The certificate cannot be more than four days' old.

Entry by air is prohibited to citizens coming from countries outside the Schengen Area.

More information here.

Belgium

Belgium's borders are closed and the country has banned non-essential travel abroad.

Bulgaria

Bulgaria is set to open borders with Serbia and Greece from June 1.

Croatia

Croatia reopened its border with Slovenia in mid-May and is set to do the same with Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, and Slovakia on May 29.

People arriving are only asked to self-isolate for 14 days if they have found to have been in contact with someone infected with COVID-19.

Cyprus

Cyprus has outlined plans for the phased resumption next month of commercial flights from a select number of countries with low COVID-19 infection rates to jump-start its vital tourism sector.

Transport Minister Yiannis Karousos said flights will begin in two phases — June 9 and 20 — from two groups of countries selected by an advisory body of medical experts.

The first group is comprised of Greece, Malta, Bulgaria, Norway, Austria, Finland, Slovenia, Hungary, Israel, Denmark, Germany, Slovakia and Lithuania. The second group is made up of Switzerland, Poland, Romania, Croatia, Estonia and the Czech Republic. The list excludes the country’s two main tourism markets, former colonial ruler Britain, and Russia.

Karousos said starting June 9, passengers arriving from countries in either group must obtain three days prior to departure a health certificate confirming that they are virus-free.

Starting June 20, passengers from the first group of countries won’t need health certificates, but those from the second group will still be required to obtain them.

Czech Republic

From May 26 borders opened with Germany and Austria. From May 27, the country opened its frontier with the Slovakia and Hungary, but with restrictions.

Residents of EU member states able to enter to perform economic activities, to visit relatives or to study at a university. Everyone will have to prove themselves with a negative test for COVID-19 upon entry.

Denmark

Borders are closed for foreign travellers. Only citizens or residents of Denmark, Greenland or Faroe Islands can currently enter, or those with a “worthy purpose”.

From May 25 people with a permanent residence in one of the five Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden) or Germany can re-enter if they are in a relationship with someone in Denmark, have grandparents there, or if they have a business trip.

By May 29 at the latest, the Danish government will reassess the temporary border controls.

Finland

Finland's land borders have been closed until at least June 14. They were reopened to workers from the Schengen Area in mid-May.

France

Borders remain closed at least until June 15, with exceptions made for EU, Andorra, UK, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norwegian, Swiss, San Marino and Vatican City citizens who have their domicile in France or need to go through France to reach their domicile. Seasonal workers and EU citizens working for a company operating in France are exempted too.

Anyone travelling from non-EU countries will not be allowed in.
Germany

Travellers are expected to have a valid reason for entering Germany. However, restrictions at the borders have been loosened.

Checks at the frontier with Austria, Switzerland, France and Denmark and for passengers arriving by air from Italy and Spain remain in effect until 15 June.

EU citizens and citizens of the United Kingdom, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland, and the family members of these citizens, are permitted to return to their home country or to their place of normal residence in Germany or to reach their country travelling through Germany if they need to.

German police officers prevent a woman from entering Germany at the German-France border in Kehl, Monday March 16, 2020.Jean-Francois Badias/AP Photo

Greece

Borders are set to reopen on June 15, but only to citizens coming from Germany, Israel, Cyprus, the Balkan and the Baltic countries.

Tourists will be allowed to enter Greece without taking a COVID-19 test or remaining in quarantine when international flights restart on July 1, but health officials will conduct spot tests when required.
Hungary

Borders are open with Romania and, from Wednesday, with Slovakia and the Czech Republic, albeit with restrictions.

Iceland

Iceland is set to reopen on June 15.

Tourists will be tested upon arrival. A few hours later, they will get the result on their phone, after downloading a tracking app.

Authorities are yet to clear procedures for those who test positive.

Ireland

The Irish health authorities currently require anyone coming into Ireland, except from Northern Ireland, to self-isolate for 14 days, upon arrival, including Irish residents.

Arrivals have to complete a passenger locator form, although exemptions are in place for providers of essential supply chain services such as hauliers, pilots and maritime staff.

Italy

Italy plans to reopen its borders on June 3 to EU, UK, Schengen area, Andorra and Monaco citizens, following the nationwide lockdown which came into force on March 9.

Some regions are taking precautions to ensure that the sudden reopening doesn’t create new infection clusters. Sardinia’s governor has suggested he might require visitors to the island to certify they had tested negative for the virus within the past week, or submit to a test on arrival.

The Tuscany regional government says on its website that any visitor from abroad or another Italian region must undergo quarantine for 14 days. It’s unknown if Tuscany will revise that rule by June 3.

Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia

The Baltic trio opened their borders for each other on May 15. Only citizens and permanent residents of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania can travel between the three countries.

But their external borders remain closed.

Estonia says it won’t be opening up until at least June 15.

Latvia’s state of emergency is currently set to end on June 9.

Lithuania is also allowing entry to citizens of Poland for business and studies. Its quarantine currently runs until May 31.

Trucks wait in a queue at the Latvia-Lithuania border crossing in Grenctale, Latvia on May 14, 2020, ahead of border reopening.GINTS IVUSKANS/AFP

Luxembourg

Luxembourg's border with Germany reopened on May 15.
Netherlands

Borders are open for those travelling within the Schengen Area. However, the government has strongly advised against non-essential trips.

"The Dutch government is discouraging travel of any kind and calling on everyone to stay at home as much as possible," it declares multiple times on its website.
Norway

Norway has closed its borders. Foreign travellers will be turned away at the border. Those who live or work in Norway are able to enter and airports are open.

The country's ministry of foreign affairs advises against all international travel that is not strictly necessary until August 20th.

By June 15, the government is considering exemptions for the Nordic countries. By July 20, exemptions for some nearby European countries will be considered.

Norway has a 10-day quarantine for those returning from international travel.

More information here.

Poland

Poland has closed its borders with several countries, including the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Germany.

Portugal

Workers and supplies are being allowed across Portugal's land border with Spain, but it is closed to tourists until at least June 15.

Border controls have been in place since March 16. There is currently no requirement for arrivals to go into quarantine, except in The Azores.

Eduardo Cabrita, Portugal's minister for internal administration, said no decision had been made on when to lift the restrictions.

Romania

Romania has reopened its border with Hungary.

Slovenia

Slovenia reopened borders to EU citizens on May 15. Prime Minister Janez Jansa boasted the country had "the best clinical situation in Europe".

Slovakia

Slovakia's border will be open to Hungary and the Czech Republic from Wednesday (May 27), but with some restrictions.

No quarantine will be required if the stay is less than 48 hours.

A Slovakian man returning to Slovakia rolls his luggage through the Bratislava-Berg border crossing between Austria and Slovakia in May.JOE KLAMAR / AFP

Spain

Borders will reopen to tourists on July 1. Currently, only Spanish citizens, residents of Spain (who must prove their habitual residence), cross-border workers, health or elderly care professionals who are going to work and people who can prove force majeure or a situation of need, are allowed to enter via Spanish ports and airports. The exceptions also include diplomatic personnel and everything related to the transport of goods in order to avoid shortages.

Since March 17, the borders with France and Portugal have been closed, allowing access to Spanish citizens, people resident in Spain, cross-border workers and those who can provide documentary proof of force majeure or a situation of need.

None of the regulations are applicable to Andorra or Gibraltar.

Currently, people who enter the national territory from abroad must stay in quarantine for 14 days after their arrival, but this will end on July 1 according to officials.

Sweden

Sweden has introduced border restrictions but it only applies to non-essential travel from countries outside the EU/EEA, except the UK and Switzerland.

That restriction came into effect on March 19 and has been extended until June 15.

More information here.

Switzerland

Switzerland, who brought in border controls on March 13, will reopen its frontiers with Germany, Austria and France on June 15 if the situation allows.

All travel restrictions at the border with Italy will remain in place until further notice.

Any foreign nationals who wish to enter Switzerland and do not hold a valid residence or work permit will be refused entry.

Air passengers from abroad are currently only able to enter the country through the airports at Zurich, Geneva and Basel.

The Swiss authorities have not imposed any quarantine measures on persons entering the country. However, you must comply with the government’s hygiene and social distancing rules.

More information here.

United Kingdom

Borders are currently open. From June 8, visitors from abroad will be required to quarantine for 14 days. Those exempt from these measures include people travelling from Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

As in other countries, certain professions are exempt from these rules, such as healthcare workers travelling to deliver healthcare in the country. Upon arrival, those who are required to self-isolate need to provide their journey and contact details.

The government says these measures will be reviewed every three weeks.

More information here.

Source: Euronews

Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced that the country’s borders will be open to international tourism except for countries with poor epidemiological data.

The Prime Minister made the comments during an interview published on Tuesday in the German newspaper Bild, where he stressed that the safe comeback of tourism flows in Greece and economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic were the focal point of his government.

“We intend to open tourist activities to the countries that have similar epidemiological data to those of Greece,” such as Germany, with its low pandemic dispersal rates. German tourists, he added, are welcome to Athens as of June 15 and to the islands as of July 1 – the date when direct flights to these are reintroduced.

To make visitors and tourists feel safe when in Greece, Mitsotakis said they will face spot checking at the airport and have access to basic instructions and the location of the nearest health facility via an electronic application (mobile app). “We will also make sure that sufficient diagnostic tests are found at all the islands, even small islands, if someone needs to be tested,” while it will also be possible for a visitor to be transported to an Athens hospital, if needed, he said.

Concerning the range of services tourists will find in Greece post-pandemic, he let it be known that health authorities have not yet decided when to have nightclubs, bars and discos reopen, but, he added, “the basic experience will be the same, with some extra precautions: going to the beach and eating out at a nice taverna or restaurant.”

Solidarity among EU member states is key to recovering from the economic implications of the coronavirus pandemic, he noted, and added that the proposal by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel for the creation of a European Recovery Fund “lays the groundwork for something important, and I am confident that an agreement will be reached at the next Summit.”

On Turkish promotion of refugees and migrants to Greece through the borders at Evros, Mitsotakis said that “we have made it crystal clear that Greece will protect its national border, which happens to be Europe’s border too.” Speaking of EU solidarity to Greece on the border incidents recently, the PM said nevertheless that “we have to cooperate with Turkey on the migration crisis, as it currently hosts 4 million refugees and does indeed deserve European aid for that, a point I have put across to President Erdogan from the very start.”

But, he observed, “this is something that cannot be achieved by means of political blackmail,” and what is needed is sincere talk on how Europe may help Turkey, Mitsotakis concluded.

As the food service sector reopened for business this week following over two months with its shutters down, a consumer survey found that two-thirds of consumers do not intend to visit any restaurants this year, while almost a third of Greeks will not be going on holiday this year.

The results of a survey by the Research Institute of Retail Consumer Goods (IELKA) show that tavernas and restaurants will have a hard time recouping the losses they incurred in the period from March 14 to May 24 when they had to stay closed upon government order.

Half of the 1,050 people who participated in the survey said they do not intend to visit a restaurant this year, given fears about the spread of the coronavirus, and another 17% went as far as saying they do not want to go to a restaurant ever again. Only 33% of respondents expressed the intention to go out to eat at some point during this year.

If these forecasts prove correct, the food service sector is in for an even greater blow in the seven months till the end of the year (at least). Monday, the first day that restaurants were allowed to reopen, was particularly quiet, according to Giorgos Kavvathas, the head of the Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen & Merchants (GSEVEE).

He stated on Tuesday that restaurant turnover was down 95% compared to a normal day before the coronavirus outbreak, while cafes fared somewhat better, reaching 50% of pre-Covid-19 turnover. At this rate, Kavvathas argued, one in three food service enterprises will soon close down.

The IELKA survey further showed that less than a quarter of Greeks (24%) will take their usual number of holidays this year, while another 17% said they would go on more limited holidays than in previous years. Three in 10 respondents (30%) said they do not think they can go on holiday at all this year, including 8% that think they may not be able to take a holiday in 2021 either.

The same survey revealed that only 28% of consumers have stopped wearing face masks when going into shops, but 41% say they will not stop at all within 2020. One in three of the survey’s participants also said they will continue to wear plastic gloves when shopping next year too.

Greece is going to battle it out with Spain and Portugal to attract the biggest possible share of tourists from major markets this summer, especially Germany, as the big German tour operators have started aggressively promoting packages to Greece and the Balearics – the islands that have done better at combating Covid-19 than continental Spain.

The promotional activities of German tour operators TUI, DER Touristik and the FTI Group include offers of free cancellation up to 14 days before the trip and reduced rates stemming either from the reduction of their profit margins or from the new agreements with hoteliers where that was possible, Kathimerini understands.

Germany, which last year sent 4 million travelers to Greece – who spent 2.9 billion euros in the country – intends to lift travel advisories for trips abroad as of June 15, according to the German media. Hoteliers in Greece, and now in Spain and Portugal too, as well as the major travel agencies, are trying to secure the biggest possible share of German demand for vacations in Southern Europe.

Hundreds of thousands of bookings for holidays in Greece that had been made before the pandemic outbreak in Europe and concerning dates after June 15 remain active on the online systems of agents and of Greek hoteliers. Although it remains to be confirmed what air capacity will be available on flights out of Germany, more and more tourism professionals believe they could see the first German tourists in late June, despite the reduced demand.

The Greek health authorities, in cooperation with the government, will be assessing the international data on Covid-19 until the end of May and will then allow the resumption of air arrivals from a number of select countries. The list has not been set in stone, but in the last few days leaks point to 19 countries that will be allowed to send tourists to Greece: They are Cyprus, Albania, Australia, Austria, Bosnia, Bulgaria, China, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Israel, Japan, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia and Slovakia.

HRVATSKA UDRUGA TURIZMA poslala je priopćenje u kojemu je iznijela plan otvaranja turističkih objekta i preporuke za putovanja turista u Hrvatsku.

Nakon što je hrvatski ministar turizma iznio plan otvaranja ljetne turističke sezone, koji predviđa da će do kraja svibnja putovanja biti olakšana za Sloveniju, Austriju, Mađarsku, Češku i Slovačku, a tijekom lipnja za Njemačku, Poljsku, te iza toga i za ostale zemlje koje imaju slično sigurnu epidemiološku situaciju, hrvatski turistički sektor je putem Hrvatske udruge turizma iznio plan otvaranja turističkih objekta i preporuke za putovanja turista u Hrvatsku.

Na početku poručuju kako je hrvatska epidemiološka situacija među najboljima na Mediteranu i u EU te su od početka svibnja ukinute zabrane rada trgovinama, restoranima i ograničenja kretanja. Dodaju kako hoteli, kampovi i ljetovališta primjenjuju najviše standarde sigurnosti boravka gostiju.

Krajem svibnja otvaraju se kampovi u Istri, Kvarneru i Dalmaciji te neki hoteli

Plan otvaranja turističkih objekta predviđa da će se do kraja svibnja otvoriti kampovi u Istri, Kvarneru i Dalmaciji te neki hoteli, a tijekom lipnja očekuje se potpuno otvaranje većine hotela i svih ostalih turističkih usluga u destinacijama.

Hrvatske granice otvorene su za dolazak turista. Prilikom ulaska turisti moraju imati potvrdu rezervacije smještaja, te na granici dobivaju upute za siguran boravak u zemlji.

U izradi je i turistička aplikacija, kojom će gosti unaprijed moći najaviti svoj dolazak i koja će omogućiti da prelazak granice bude brži. Aplikacija će omogućiti da do kraja mjeseca bude uveden i „fast line“ režim ulaska za turiste u Hrvatsku.

Tijekom lipnja očekuje se i da će države iz glavnih hrvatskih emitivnih tržišta omogućiti svojim građanima da nesmetano putuju u Hrvatsku i nazad, s obzirom na preporuke koje je izdala Europska komisija i činjenicu da je Hrvatska jedna od država s najmanjim brojem zaraženih osoba u Europi.

Hotelijeri su spremni

Hrvatski hotelijeri i turistički djelatnici dočekuju spremni otvaranje sezone, stoji u priopćenju. Dodaje se da su svi standardi sigurnosti boravka gostiju implementirani u smještajne objekte, restorane i ostale turističke sadržaje prema preporukama hrvatskih epidemiologa, Svjetske zdravstvene organizacije i s obzirom na preporuke s ključnih emitivnih tržišta.

Direktor Hrvatske udruge turizma, Veljko Ostojić zadovoljan je s pripremama za otvaranje ljetne sezone. Prvi gosti u Hrvatsku već su stigli. "Hrvatska ima sjajnu epidemiološku situaciju, a za većinu je gostiju s ključnih emitivnih tržišta dostupna kao autodestinacija. Hrvatski turistički sektor standarde sigurnosti je prilagodio nacionalnim i međunarodnim preporukama te goste dočekujemo spremni", izjavio je direktor Hrvatske udruge turizma, Veljko Ostojić.

"Hrvatska je cijelo vrijeme trajanja epidemije vrlo efikasno upravljala krizom, te je prema ocjenama međunarodnih organizacija jedna od najuspješnijih zemalja u borbi s Covid-19 epidemijom. Novi slučajevi zaraze trenutno se pojavljuju samo sporadično te Hrvatska ima jednu od najboljih epidemioloških situacija na Mediteranu. Zdravstveni sustav i sustav javne zaštite u Hrvatskoj su odlično reagirali na krizu i suzbili širenje epidemije. Hrvatski zdravstveni sustav kapacitetima je spreman za pravovremenu reakciju u slučaju eventualne pojave virusa", zaključuje Hrvatska udruga turizma.

Osnovne informacije o hrvatskoj ljetnoj sezoni

HRVATSKA EPIDEMIOLOŠKA SITUACIJA MEĐU NAJBOLJIMA U ZEMLJAMA MEDITERANA

Hrvatska je prema svim pokazateljima jedna od najboljih EU zemalja, kad je epidemiološka situacija u pitanju
Novi slučajevi zaraze virusom COVID -19 pojavljuju se samo sporadično u jednoznamenkastim brojkama

HOTELI, KAMPOVI I SMJEŠTAJNI OBJEKTI PRIMJENJUJU NAJVIŠE STANDARDE SIGURNOSTI

Svi turistički kapaciteti kao i restorani u Hrvatskoj pripremljeni su za restart sezone u novim uvjetima
Primjenjuju se najviši epidemiološki standardi, kako bi se osigurala sigurnost kako za turiste, tako i za djelatnike te lokalno stanovništvo
Hrvatski zavod za javno zdravstvo definirao je mjere za sve koji rade u turizmu kako bi se za goste osigurala maksimalna zaštita
Uz preporuke lokalnih epidemiologa, hrvatski hoteli i kampovi u svom radu primjenjuju najviše standarde koje propisuju globalni certifikati sigurnosti i zdravlja

PROTOKOL NA GRANICAMA

Za strane turiste koji su državljani zemalja EU prilikom ulaska strani državljani trebaju predočiti jedan od dokumenata:
- rezervaciju smještaja u hotelu, kampu ili drugoj vrsti smještajnog objekta;
- ugovor o zakupu u kampu;
- ugovor o stalnom vezu u luci nautičkog turizma;
- potvrdu o rezervaciji za vez u luci nautičkog turizma ili
- vaučer putničke agencije.
Dokument kojim se potvrđuje rezervacija smještaja u Hrvatskoj mora sadržavati:
- mjesto/adresu smještajnog objekta na kojoj će gost boraviti,
- kontakt broj telefona i
- duljinu boravka tj. datum kada gost planira izlazak iz Republike Hrvatske.
Osim potvrde rezervacije razlozi za ulazak u Hrvatsku mogu biti:
- poslovni razlozi / gospodarski interes: poziv gospodarskog subjekta, interes gospodarskog subjekta za dolazak pojedinca, poziv na poslovni sastanak, vlasništvo nad nekretninom ili plovilom (ili nositelj leasinga za plovilo), vlasništvo nad trgovačkim društvom ili članstvo u upravi trgovačkog društva,
- neodgodivi osobni razlozi

USKORO APLIKACIJA ZA TURISTE ZA ULAZAK U HRVATSKU i FAST LINE

Do kraja svibnja bit će lansirana i aplikacija putem koja će turisti moći najaviti svoj dolazak u Hrvatsku. Ta najava će im omogućiti brži protok kroz granicu

TURISTI NA GRANICI DOBIVAJU LETAK S PREPORUKAMA

Za državljane EU ne postoji obveza samoizolacije. Na ulasku u Republiku Hrvatsku na granici turisti dobivaju informativni letak s općim i posebnim preporukama i uputama Hrvatskog zavoda za javno zdravstvo

PITANJA O DOLASKU U HRVATSKU

Građani iz EU ali i zemalja izvan EU sve informacije o mogućnostima ulaska u Hrvatsku mogu dobiti upitom na mail adresu - uzg.covid@mup.hr
Detaljne informacije s online obrascem, kao i odgovore na najčešće postavljana pitanja možete pronaći na ovoj poveznici

HRVATSKA JE SIGURNA ZA SVE POSJETITELJE

Zdravstveni sustav i sustav javne zaštite u Hrvatskoj je odlično reagirao na krizu i suzbio širenje epidemije
Hrvatski zdravstveni sustav kapacitetima je spreman za pravovremenu reakciju u slučaju eventualne pojave virusa

A series of measures for the safe operation of coastal shipping vessels and pleasure boats/private yachts when traveling in Greece, during the post-Covid-19 period, were announced by the Greek Maritime Ministry on Friday.

“Step by step we are planning the next day of ferry transport, with rules and guidelines aimed at protecting the health of passengers and crews of ships as much as possible, as well as public health on each Greek island. The further lifting of restrictions on ferry travel will be constantly monitored and solely depends on ourselves and our compliance with the measures,” Greek Maritime Minister Yiannis Plakiotakis said.

The following measures will take effect from Monday, May 18 until Monday, June 15.

The ministry’s announcement regarding coastal shipping vessels:
-Ferries are allowed to carry 50 percent of their maximum passenger capacity set by current legislation. Ships that have cabins are allowed to transport 55 percent of their original passenger capacity.
-Pre-boarding entry screening measures: Prior to boarding a ferry at Greek ports of departure, passengers are obliged to hand over a previously filled out health status questionnaire (available at ports or it can be downloaded from a special website, which will be announced). Thermal screening will be applied to all passengers entering ferries.
-Passengers must maintain a distance of 1.5 meters between each other during boarding, disembarkation and in all areas of the ship.
-Only one passenger will be allowed per cabin or up to four passengers per family. A person with special needs will be allowed to be accompanied by one person.
-Masks (made of fabric is recommended) must be worn by passengers and crew members.
-Seating in airplane-type seats is allowed according to a special layout as passengers must maintain distances. Special markings will indicate where a passenger is allowed to sit.
-Passengers of international ships serving Greece-Italy routes must submit a health status questionnaire when boarding. Thermal screening will be applied to all passengers.
-A printed brochure of EODY (Greece’s public health organization), explaining the measures, should be handed out to all passengers. Ships should also have informative spots and play audio messages on speakers.
-Crews must undergo special training.
-Rules of personal hygiene must be applied by all passengers. All ships must have antiseptic stations in various areas.
-All ships must be cleaned and disinfected regularly.
-Ships must provide ventilation and air conditioning.
-Specific rules apply for the the proper management of a suspected Covid-19 case (isolation in a special area, disembarkation at the next port which has the necessary capacity for managing the case, tracking of the patient’s contacts, etc.).
-Special rules apply at all passenger service points (bars, restaurants, dining rooms) of ships.

It should be noted that travel to the Greek islands is still prohibited for the general public and allowed strictly to owners and their employees of businesses that have reopened.

Greece will lift its restrictions for travel to the island of Crete from Monday. Travel to all of the Greek islands is expected to be allowed as of Monday, May 25.

Measures for pleasure boats/private yachts arriving from abroad after the lifting of the Covid-19 restrictive measures:
-Entry rules for private yachts and commercial pleasure boats (except cruise ships) in ports, marinas and shipyards of mainland Greece, arriving from abroad. Such vessels are allowed to enter Greek ports only if they have no passengers, under specific health rules and with permission of the competent authority.
-Continuation of the ban of boat arrivals from foreign countries for which special restrictive measures are still in force (eg Turkey).
-Mandatory testing of the owner of the vessel and crew members in a certified laboratory (at their expense).
-Vessels in long-term mooring at Greek ports throughout the Covid-19 pandemic must abide by EODY’s guidelines.
-Owners of vessels must submit a maritime health declaration.
Information regarding the rules and regulations taken for COVID-19 in the port of use must be provided to vessel owners and crew.
-Specific rules apply for the proper management of a suspicious or confirmed case on board.

Greece’s sailing ban on private pleasure boats arriving from abroad and entering its ports will be lifted on May 18.

Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” has released safety guidelines for passengers travelling through its premises, to prevent the Covid-19 spread.

Those travelling through Athens International Airport, should keep in mind the following:
The use of face masks is obligatory after entering the airport terminal; passengers need to keep it on throughout their stay in the airport areas (Joint Ministerial Decision of May17th, Gov. Gazette Bulletin 1869/Δ1α/ΓΠ.οικ.30612). Passengers should be aware that they may be asked to temporarily remove their mask during security and identity check processes.
The use of face masks is also obligatory during boarding, as well as during the flight.
Airport employees are equipped with all personal protection items (masks, gloves, sanitising liquids), which they are using at all times during their work.
Hand sanitiser dispensers are available in over 300 spots at the airport, including bathrooms and restrooms; passengers should feel free to use them during the departure and arrival processes.
Polycarbonic panels are used for additional protection during the provision of services conducted in direct contact with employees (ticket desks, information counters, etc.).
Keeping distances is mainly a behavioural measure for passengers and airport staff, and a distance of 1.5 metres should be kept during all phases of the travelling processes on ground. Special signage on floor surfaces, announcements at airport screens and banners are there to help passengers keep the necessary distances.
Facilities, machinery, equipment, and frequently touched surfaces in the airport areas, are cleaned and sanitised regularly with special materials.
Airport, airlines and ground handlers’ staff are available to provide passengers with information about the hygiene measures and the relevant procedures applied in the airport, as well as on board, and supervise the implementation of the necessary measures (physical distancing and face masks).
Information and guidelines regarding hygiene measures are communicated through a constant flow of public announcements (PAs are regularly made through the airport’s public announcement system), as well as through visual content on the airport screens and the relevant signage in all areas.
It is important to select e-services options prior to departure to the airport (web check-in), as well as within the airport areas (web check-in, self check-in, baggage tag printing, drop off baggage, e-parking).
Seating in all waiting areas has been re-arranged, in order to allow for minimum distances to be kept. It is recommended that one seat is left vacant next to each seated passenger. Families or couples travelling together, do not have to keep this distance.
The air-conditioning system in the airport facilities provides fresh, renewed, and top-down recycled air, in order to limit horizontal air circulation. Furthermore, the air is filtered for dust, viruses and bacteria or fungi, through special filters.
For the protection of passengers with reduced mobility, all the above measures are meticulously applied, while, in addition, rules for priority boarding, avoiding lengthy stay in closed areas including the airport’s PRM facility, are implemented. PRM wheelchairs and Ambulifts are cleaned and disinfected regularly, before and after their use, in order to secure the maximum possible protection of passengers against Covid-19.

All measures are subject to continuous evaluation as to their effectiveness and will be modified as deemed necessary and instructed by state authorities.

International incoming passengers, in particular, are requested by state authorities to fill in a special personal data form – state authorities may decide to proceed with biological sample collection for coronavirus tests.

Earlier this week, Greece presented Greece’s restart plan for the sector after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, which will see tourists allowed to enter Greece without taking a coronavirus test or remain in quarantine when international flights restart on July 1.

Qatar Airways has further enhanced its onboard safety measures for passengers and cabin crew.

The airline is implementing several changes, including the introduction of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) suits for cabin crew while onboard, as well as a modified service that reduces interactions between the passengers and the crew inflight.

Cabin crew have already been wearing PPE during flights for a number of weeks, including gloves and face masks.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said: “At Qatar Airways, we have introduced these additional safety measures onboard our flights to ensure the continued health and wellbeing of our passengers and cabin crew, and to limit the spread of coronavirus. As an airline, we maintain the highest possible hygiene standards to ensure that we can fly people home safely during this time and provide even greater reassurance that safety is our number one priority.”

“Seeing as we are still flying the world’s largest international network by operating flights to more than 30 destinations around the world, and aiming to grow our network again in the coming months, these onboard safety measures will assist us in achieving our goals,” he added.

Cabin crew will wear the PPE suit over their uniforms in addition to safety goggles, gloves and a mask to provide even greater reassurance to customers in addition to enhanced hygienic measures already in place.

As well, starting Monday May 25, Qatar Airways will require passengers to wear facial coverings inflight and urges customers to bring their own to ensure the best possible fit and comfort.

Qatar Airways continues to implement the highest standards of health and safety. Its aircrafts are regularly disinfected using cleaning products recommended by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

The Hamad International Airport in Qatar, the airline’s hub, has also implemented multiple safety protocols to ensure traveller safety through measures such as deploying autonomous disinfectant robots that emit concentrated UV-C light that is known to be successful in removing infectious microorganisms.

The plan to allow direct flights from abroad as of July 1 should not be cause for public concern, Civil Protection Deputy Minister for Crisis Management Nikos Hardalias said on Thursday, as the plan is to reopen Greece to tourism gradually and cautiously after the global pandemic breakout.

“We understand citizens’ concerns about tourism but there must be trust,” he said. “We still have 40 days ahead of us to get ready and to reliably guarantee that all safety standards are met.”

According to the ‘Restart Tourism’ plan unveiled on Wednesday, international flights will resume on June 15 but only from countries that have successfully contained their infections numbers and only to Athens. That will be extended to all the country’s airports by July 1 if the first phase of the reopening goes well.

At the briefing held with Health Ministry spokesperson and infectious diseases expert, Professor Sotiris Tsiodras, Hardalias said several factors would be considered, including what was happening in other countries and which countries would be exempted based on their epidemiological features.

“Random sampling and controls will be thorough and strict wherever necessary, in order to keep the general population safe,” he noted.

Currently, flights are limited to the Athens International Airport, where travellers submit to coronavirus tests and have to follow quarantine protocols. “Absolute numbers (of incoming flights) show a reduction and near-disappearance of incoming infection cases,” Hardalias said.

Between May 13 and 20, for example, 21 flights arrived in Athens with 2,236 passengers, of whom only 1 was found to be positive. In the last 4 days, 3 flights from Germany have arrived with 548 passengers, several as transit travellers through countries with heavy epidemiological loads, but all tests were negative.

Next Monday, May 25, will see the reopening of bars, cafes and restaurants, which will have to implement strict social distancing and hygiene measures to ensure staff and customer safety. The same day, the government will announce whether the primary schools, kindergartens and nursery stations would open on June 1 or not.

Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis on Wednesday presented Greece’s restart plan for the sector after the COVID-19 pandemic subsides, which will see tourists allowed to enter Greece without taking a coronavirus test or remain in quarantine when international flights restart on July 1.

“‘Restart Tourism’ is a comprehensive, coherent and detailed plan to restore Greek tourism to function safely and efficiently for the national economy,” Minister Theoharis said, following a televised address of PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis who announced the the opening of Greek tourism for 2020.

According to the ‘Restart Tourism’ plan, Greece during the tourism season will be able to manage possible Covid-19 cases immediately and on the spot at destinations, while safely welcoming and hosting tourists from abroad.

“It has clearly defined rules, which include protocols for the safe operation of tourism businesses and protocols for the protection of visitors during their travel and transport,” Theoharis said.

Priorities of the the country’s tourism restart plan includes making sure employees and visitors are safe; strengthening health infrastructure in tourism destinations where needed; and supporting tourism businesses.

The Minister presented the following timeframe for Greek tourism’s restart:

Monday, May 25: Yachting restrictions will be lifted
Monday, June 1: Camps, campsites and year-round hotels will open
Monday, June 15: All other accommodation (seasonal hotels and resorts) will open. On the same day, the first stage of lifting restrictions on international flights will take place, with aircraft landing initially only at Athens Airport
Wednesday, July 1: Second stage of lifting restrictions on international flights at all Greek airports.
Wednesday, July 15: Gradual lifting of remaining restrictions

Incoming visitors

According to the minister, from June 15, Greece will allow the entrance of incoming tourists initially from countries chosen based on “epidemiological criteria”. The ministry will release a list of countries from which visitors will be able to arrive in Greece by the end of May. Theoharis did, however, mention Balkan countries (specifically Bulgaria), Cyprus and Israel as examples.

July 1 is the date when all of Greece’s airports are scheduled to begin allowing international flights to land. People from all countries will be allowed to travel to Greece, except from countries that have negative epidemiological criteria. A list of those countries will be released in a timely manner.

No tests or quarantine

Moreover, the minister said that Greece’s incoming tourists will not need to have a coronavirus test prior to travel nor will they be quarantined after arrival.

However, visitors will undergo sample tests when deemed required.

Health protocols

Theoharis said that Greek tourism’s restart plan provides specific health protocols for Greece’s hotels, tour buses, car leasing companies, ferries, airlines (health rules on board flights and in airports) and checks at entrance gates (questionnaires and sample tests). They health protocols will be announced once voted in parliament.

The plan also sees to enhance the health capacity especially of the country’s smaller islands by providing tests and more doctors as well as quarantine areas.

Also, the minister said that frequent health checks will be carried out to all businesses. All of the country’s tourism businesses will display the special seal “Health First”.

Supporting entrepreneurship

Referring to supporting tourism businesses, the minister announced the following:
Tourism businesses will be able to extend the suspension of employment contracts until July 2020.
Tourism businesses are eligible for reduced lease payments by 40% until August.
Employees will be supported until September with funds from the EU’s “SURE” program.
The government will provide support to seasonal tourism employees.
The government will regulate repayable advances to relieve businesses.
Tourism businesses are eligible for a reduction of advance income tax payments.
VAT cuts on transport, coffee, non-alcoholic beverages and package travel
Businesses will receive financing through the ‘Entrepreneurship Fund II- TEPIX II’ in combination with the Guarantee Fund and the Development Bank.

Domestic tourism

Greek tourism’s restart also includes plans to boost domestic tourism, aiming to attract more Greeks to destinations and tourism enterprises for the 2020 season.

“Domestic tourism is, for many reasons, important at this time, regardless that it does not contribute to foreign exchange receipts,” Theoharis said.

According to the minister, an advertising campaign will soon launch, while the social tourism holiday program by the Greek Manpower Employment Organization (OAED) will be strengthened.

A second Greek social tourism holiday program, known as “Tourism for All”, will be financed with 30 million euros and provide e-vouchers worth 120 euros to each eligible holidaymaker for a 4-night (minimum) stay at a Greek hotel. Beneficiaries of the program are estimated at around 250,000 Greeks.

Moreover, corporate holiday travel vouchers worth 300 euros will also be made available for private sector employees.

Theoharis said that domestic tourism this year is expected to secure at least 1 million overnight stays in the country’s hotels.

Promotional actions

In regards to promotional actions, the minister mentioned a budget of 23 million euros that will include targeted advertising campaigns in the markets Greece will open to. Also, promotional plans also include the launch of a brand campaign, co-advertising deals and agreements with leading tour operators.

Theoharis said that through specially designed campaigns to promote Greece as an international destination – as a country that is able to “absolutely guarantee” safe holidays for all its visitors – holidaymakers will be endured of Greece’s safety.

Chateau de Chenonceau - Wonder of the Loire Valley or Ladies' Château

The Chateau de Chenonceau spans the River Cher.

Designed and owned by women only, Chenonceau is therefore also known as the Château des Dames - Ladies' Château.

Its architecture is a perfect combination of elegance, beauty and refinement that turn it into a superb illustration of French Renaissance.

French call it La Merveille du Val-de-Loire – the Wonder of the Loire Valley.

Tour Marques and castle

Grande Galerie

The Ladies of Chenonceau

Catherine Briçonnet

In the early 16th century, the Chateau de Chenonceau was not more than a fortified manor-house and its watermill.

Thomas Bohier bought the two buildings, which had fallen into an advanced state of disrepair, from the Lord of Marques.

Thomas Bohier's wife, Catherine Briçonnet, commissioned the construction of the pavilion with four corner towers on the foundations of the mill.

The ruined buildings were pulled down except for the well and the tower.

The Marques Tower was restored during the Renaissance.

The well is still adorned with the coat of arms of the Marques family, a chimera and an eagle.

The courtyard, enclosed by a moat, is located on the site of the old fortress.

Catherine added a feminine touch to the plans by focusing on comfort and luxury.

The monumental entrance is a masterpiece of the Renaissance.

It is also adorned with the coat of arms of Thomas and Catherine Bohier and is crowned by a salamander, the emblem of François I.

Catherine commissioned also the construction of the first straight staircase ever built in France.

However, in 1535 their penniless son sold Chenonceau to King François I who turned it into a hunting lodge.

Diane de Poitiers

François I's son, Henri II gave the Chateau de Chenonceau to his young mistress Diane of Poitiers.

A woman of talent and intelligence, Diane brilliantly took care of Chenonceau.

She indeed developed the vineyard and the farm and transformed them into a profitable business.

A woman of taste and luxury, she embellished the château, added the formal gardens and built a bridge across the River Cher.

The king was killed in a tournament in 1559.

Gardens

Grande Galerie

Catherine de Medici

His widow, Catherine of Medici, knew how much Diane was fond of the Chateau de Chenonceau.

She therefore spitefully exiled her to the Château de Chaumont sur Loire!

However, Diane chose to retire to the Château d'Anet, another present from the late king.

Catherine of Medici re-landscaped the park and added new buildings.

But above all, we owe her the famous Italian Renaissance style two-storey gallery that tops the bridge built by Diane.
A woman of pleasure and luxury, the queen organized numerous soirees, balls, banquets and fireworks which gave an air of pomp to Chenonceau.

Louise de Lorraine

The castle became a place filled with grief when Marie gave the Chateau de Chenonceau to her stepdaughter.

Louise de Lorraine indeed retired to Chenonceau after the assassination of her husband Henri III.

She also became known as the Reine Blanche - White Queen because she wore white clothes and had the ceilings repainted in white in sign of mourning.

Chambre des Cinq Reines

Françoise de Lorraine

When she died, her niece Françoise de Lorraine inherited Chenonceau, which was later acquired by the Farmer General Dupin.

Madame Dupin

His wife, Madame Dupin, took over the property; she founded a salon frequented by the most brilliant minds of the era.

Kept in high esteem by the villagers because of her charity work, Madame Dupin saved the Chateau de Chenonceau from demolition during the French Revolution.

Madame Pelouze

Madame Pelouze fell in love with the chateau and purchased it in 1864.

She spent a fortune restoring it to its former glory.

She removed the caryatids statues that framed the facade's windows and placed them in the park.

Tour Marques

Renaissance entrance door

Tour Marques

Chateau de Chenonceau

The elegant proportions and the gallery that spans the Cher are the castle's most photographed features!

Each year, they indeed attract thousands visitors from all around the world.

The interior decorations and furnishing boast the same elegance, refinement and luxury that the outside.

The Guard-room is decorated with a 16th century fireplace and magnificent Flemish tapestries.

The chapel's original stained glass windows were destroyed during WWII but were replaced in 1954.

Diane's Bedchamber is a gateway into the world of the favourite of Henri II.

Elegantly decorated with 16th century Flemish tapestries, the room is dedicated to the archives of the château.

Copies of the signatures of Diane and Bohier are also displayed in a glass cabinet.

The Library and the Bureau Vert exhibit more paintings and tapestries.

Francois I's Bedchamber is richly decorated.

It exhibits an impressive collection of paintings, furniture from the 15th and 16th centuries and a striking Renaissance fireplace with a mantle engraved with the motto of Thomas Bohier.

The impressive straight staircase climbs to the Five Queens' Bedroom (Catherine of Medici's two daughters and three daughters-in-law).

This room is decorated with Flemish tapestries and paintings by Rubens and Mignard.

Finally, the staircase serves also the bedrooms of Catherine of Medici, César de Vendôme, Gabrielle d'Estrées and Françoise de Lorraine.

Tour Marques and castle

Grande Galerie

The 60m long two-storey gallery that spans the Cher is known as Grande Galerie.

It was converted in a hospital during WWI and was used as a symbolic boundary between Free France and Occupied France during WWII.

A Wax Museum, open all year round, relates the story of the famous inhabitants of Chenonceau.

The Chateau de Chenonceau is today the property of the Miller family.

Here is a brief overview of the Loire Valley architectural styles.

Most castles were built between the late 15th century and 17th century.

They therefore are mostly Renaissance and Classical, however, many have retained Gothic features.

Most monastic buildings were pulled down at the French Revolution, but many churches escaped destruction as they were converted in barns.

Gothic architecture was locally adapted and gave rise to style unique to the region, Gothique Plantagenêt or Angevin style.

Here are a few basic facts to help you discover these styles' basic characteristics, without going into boring descriptions.

Romanesque

Loire Valley architectural styles - Romanesque

Romanesque appeared in the second half of the 10th century.

It reached its peak during the 12th century, when the monasteries were founded and the majestic cathedrals built.

Romanesque style expresses the 'Sacred' in a functional manner, based on harmony and balance.

Created in order to avoid structural fires so frequent at that time, it therefore introduced the systematic use of stone arches with buttressing.

Sculptures were kept to a minimum and placed at focal points.

Wide walkways and a large ambulatory facilitated large crowd movements.

Romanesque churches were, however, of human dimensions.

They were mostly built in the countryside and attached to a monastery.

Gothic

Loire Valley architectural styles - Gothic

Gothic lasted from the 12th to the 15th century.

Eight Crusades took place from 1096 to 1270 at the instigation of the Church of Rome in order to defend Christianity in the Middle East.

Crusaders returned with the rudiments of a new culture, which influenced the transition from Romanesque to Gothic.

Impressed by the sumptuous Arabic palaces, they indeed introduced the concepts of art and comfort.

They improved their dark castles with hanging tapestries tapestries, furnished them with elegant furniture and opened large windows to let light pour into their vast halls.

The advent of Gothic religious architecture resulted in the edification of the great cathedrals.

Columns with carved capitals supported the arches.

Ribbed vaults, externally reinforced by flying-buttresses, transferred the weight on the media angle.

Freed from the extra weight, the walls could therefore be pierced with numerous large windows that let the light pour into the building.

Towers and high spires projected their slender silhouette towards the sky, the symbol of the elevation of the human soul to God.

Gothic churches are often of gigantic dimensions because they were built in order to accommodate a growing population.

Some replaced the old Romanesque churches, but most were built in villages or cities.

Flamboyant also known as Era of Stonework Lace

Gothic

Loire Valley architectural styles - Angevin or Plantagenêt Gothic

Anjou developed his own version of the Gothic style in the late 12th century.

The Angevin or Plantagenêt Gothic style lasted for a century.

The major peculiarity of this transitional style are the vaults' keystones placed 3m above the supporting arches.
Loire Valley architectural styles - Flamboyant or High Gothic

The 15th century was 'the' High Gothic or Flamboyant century!

More colourful stained glass windows and rosettes opened the walls.

It also dropped the use of capitals, as the arches descended directly into the columns, thus creating an effect of continuity.

These were lavishly decorated with elaborate flame-shaped sculptures, hence its name, as Flamboyant means blazing.

The exuberant and lavish Flamboyant period is also known as the Era of Stonework Lace.

Early Renaissance

French Renaissance

Loire Valley architectural styles - French Renaissance

Until the 15th century books were handwritten, therefore very expensive.

The invention of printing in 1450 made them affordable to a wider audience.

The Greek scholars, driven from Constantinople by the Turks in 1453, found refuge in the Italian courts.

Once there, they re-introduced the ancient Greek and Roman cultures.

This period of re-invention became known as Rebirth or Renaissance.

Charles VII, Louis XII and François I were the protagonists of the French Renaissance.

Indeed, they were so impressed by Italian culture during their various military expeditions in the years 1480 to 1515, that they brought it back to France!

The kings and their vassals invited the best Italian artists to come and work for them.

Elegant palaces soon replaced their old castles; times were indeed safe so there was no more need for massive, dark and cold fortresses.

Men of the 16th century were on a quest for absolute harmony, beauty, light, space, comfort, leisure and luxury!

Medallions and low reliefs therefore adorned the facades of their palaces, and large windows flanked with pilasters open them.

Dormer-windows and carved chimneys decorated the pointed roofs.

Italian staircases, one of the most stunning architectural features of the Renaissance, appeared.

Renaissance castles were not always built on a promontory, but often at the edge of a lake and elegantly blended with their environment.

Their gardens reflected the taste for nature tamed by man.

They indeed made great use of flower beds edged with boxwood (Jardin à la Française) as well as ponds, sculptured fountains and statues.

The French kings built Amboise, Chambord with its double-helix staircase and Blois ... the great lords built Azay-le-Rideau and its amazing straight boxed-ceiling staircase and Chenonceau...

Classical

Loire Valley architectural styles - Classical

Antiquity fully inspired this style which sprawled on the 17th and 18th centuries.

Classical is defined by the elegance, majesty, sobriety, symmetry, balance and purity of form!

It indeed make great use of the three Greek architectural orders, Doric, Ionic and Corinthian.

These are indeed often superimposed on pediments in secular buildings.

Classical religious architecture is equally elegant.

Many churches enlarged during that period indeed boast impressive domes and volumes.

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