Though many have debated whether Greece’s choice to open the country to tourism on May 14th will spark a fourth wave of the coronavirus sooner than what could be avoided, it seems those voices are outnumbered by others who praise the way in which tourism has been reintroduced. In an article in The New York Times on Thursday, Charly Wilder claims: “The Greek gamble seems to be paying off.”

In the article, the return of tourists to the streets of Athens, and the deck of the ships heading to the islands, is interspersed by quotes from locals, explaining how Greece opening up to tourism isn’t about ignoring the risks, but about the lack of other options. In 2019, tourism accounted for over 20% of Greece’s gross domestic product, and in 2020, the industry was in danger of being wiped out.

Up until early May and the official start of the tourist season, Greece remained in lockdown, with a 21:00 curfew and a text message system in place for citizens to state their reasons for venturing outside of their homes. “There may be nowhere in the world that had as drastic a transition from full lockdown to global reopening as did Greece,” Wilder explains. But this course of action is what may have made it possible for tourist-dependent establishments to flourish again: “For them, the reopening is a lifeline.”

Being quick to encourage tourists to return to Greece this year seems to have worked. As an example, yacht chartering is bringing in more than even before the pandemic (currently ranking most popular in the world for superyacht charters), but all types of travelers seem to be equally tempted. “I talked to one of my friends right before I came, and he’s like, you’re the fourth person I talked to today who’s going to Greece. What’s going on in Greece?” one American tourist bound for a climb on Mount Olympus was quoted saying.

The New York Times visited Athens and the island of Paros in early June, after the reopening of stores and restaurants, but before the removal of the requirement for face masks outdoors. Since then, music has also returned to bars and restaurants, and there is no more curfew.

You can read more about the current situation and how to travel to Greece now here.