CNA
There is keen interest from EU citizens in visiting Cyprus once the country opens its skies for tourists, according to what was said during a teleconference which Foreign Minister, Nikos Christodoulides, and Deputy Minister for Tourism, Savvas Perdios, had on Friday with the Ambassadors of EU member states accredited to Cyprus, to brief them on plans and protocols for reopening Cyprus as an attractive and safe tourism destination.
CNA has learned that during the teleconference the Ambassadors of EU states which are not so far included in the lists of countries from which tourists can visit Cyprus, after the restart of tourism and the opening of the skies, were interested in learning when their countries will be included in these lists, noting that there is an increased interest for visits to Cyprus, due to the positive epidemiological situation in the country as regards the COVID-19 pandemic.
We explained that the epidemiological statistics of all countries are being evaluated and the lists of countries will be updated regularly, a source has told CNA.
In the framework of the teleconference Christodoulides made an introduction and presented the epidemiological situation in Cyprus, while Perdios thoroughly presented the way the lists of countries have been drafted, the medical protocols, what will happen in case a tourist is infected with COVID-19 while in Cyprus etc.
Following that, the Ambassadors submitted their questions that were answered by the two government officials. CNA has learned that the EU member states Ambassadors congratulated the government of Cyprus for the way it has addressed the pandemic.
Moreover, the Ambassadors of the countries not included yet in the lists from which tourists can visit Cyprus asked when this will be done, noting that there is interest from citizens in their countries to visit Cyprus as tourists, the same source said.
The teleconference lasted for one and a half hour and was attended by EU Ambassadors who do not have their seat in Nicosia as well.
Cyprus sent at the end of May a letter to its tourism partners abroad with the protocols that will allow the country to safely re-open and avoid the need for quarantining visitors.
The letter was signed by Foreign Minister, Nikos Christodoulides, Minister of Transport Yiannis Karousos and Deputy Minister of Tourism Savvas Perdios.
International air travel will resume on June 9. Initially all passengers arriving to Cyprus will be required to undertake an advance COVID-19 PCR test in the source country, within 72 hours prior to travel, but by 20th June travel restrictions will be lifted entirely for a number of countries.
More specifically, source countries have been divided into two categories based on internationally available epidemiological data. As of June 20th, persons flying from Category A countries face no restrictions when traveling to Cyprus while people traveling from Category B countries are required to have a PCR test done at the source country, 72 hours prior to travel. For travelers from Category B whose country is unable to make PCR testing widely available to the public, compulsory testing will be required upon arrival at Cyprus airports.
The countries included so far in the lists are:
Category A Countries: Malta, Greece, Bulgaria, Norway, Austria, Finland, Slovakia, Hungary, Israel, Denmark, Germany, Slovenia and Lithuania.
Category B Countries: Switzerland, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Croatia, Estonia.
CNA
