The Prime Minister’s Office is almost ready to announce its integrated package for the revival of tourism which has been put together with the cooperation of the sector’s association and other competent ministers, as well as the health authorities.

On Friday Premier Kyriakos Mitsotakis led another video conference on the issue with participants including the ministers of tourism, Haris Theocharis, and state, Giorgos Gerapetritis, and the Health Ministry’s representative on Covid-19, Sotiris Tsiodras.

The plan, according to the latest information available, is built on four pillars. The first concerns the health measures and the rules of operation for the sector regarding both hotels, and the markets from which the country may allow visitors when this is deemed safe.

The second pillar has to do with supporting employment, and the third concerns the measures for economically supporting a smooth tourism reboot. The fourth covers the entire set of measures that will offset as much as possible the losses that tourism-related enterprises are suffering as a result of the government decision to put the sector on ice.

For its part, the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) has submitted its own positions, setting out four priorities that are nevertheless in keeping with the dictates of health authorities. They are: the subsidizing of employment, that all health regulations be clear and safe (and implementable), the reduction of value-added tax and the total waiving of up-front income tax deposits for this year.

Another issue which has yet to be settled is that of bilateral agreements. Although all parties involved speak of the need for a single set of rules regarding international travel and and the operation of businesses, in fact more and more people are worrying whether this can be rapidly achieved and the whole of this year not be lost and 2021 undermined. The complexity of the problem combined with the disagreements in every country, often between health and political authorities, point to the unlikelihood of a common position being formed before this fall. Therefore, more voices are speaking of the need for bilateral agreements establishing rules for one country to admit another country’s citizens.

This article was first published on ekathimerini.com