Greece opens hotels, kickstarts tourism

Greece has opened its hotels, thereby kick-starting its tourism sector chained by weeks of lockdown. The hotels opened yesterday, June 1, with strict safety regulations in place.

Business remained quiet because international flights from its main airports will only start from June 15. With borders remaining shut in key tourism markets, some hotels have decided to reopen later, due to low reservations.

Following are a number of new rules that must be followed by all hotels in Greece, according to the government decision.

– All hotel employees (including interns) must wear a face mask (surgical or cloth) and disposable gloves. Reception staff may wear a face shield.
– All hotel employees must follow basic rules to avoid Covid-19 transmission: Hand hygiene, use of antiseptics, avoidance of handshakes, keeping physical distance, avoiding contact of hands with the face and generally observing personal and respiratory hygiene measures.
– Proper management of a suspected coronavirus case.
– Log book for the recording of incidents related to the prevention or treatment of a possible Covid-19 case

Hotel buffets

– Provision of disinfectant for hands at the dining area’s entrance. Staff must make sure that it is used by customers
– Staff must maintain the required distances when serving customers at the buffet
– All hotels must install sneeze guards (protective food guards that protect buffet line entrées and sides from airborne contaminants).
– The food at the buffet will be served only by the hotel’s kitchen staff (who will be properly equipped with masks and gloves). The customer should not come in contact of the customer with the food and utensils at the buffet.
– It is recommended for food to be placed in individual packets in areas where staff is not serving.
– Automatic coffee machines, juicers, etc., should only be used by the staff (who will be properly equipped with masks and gloves).

Hotel bars

– Only packaged individual side dishes are provided with drinks.
– Room service is encouraged at no extra charge.

Training

The government decision underlines that all hotel employees will be obliged to follow an educational/training program focused on the health protocols. The educational/training process falls under the responsibility of the Tourism Ministry, which may assign the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels and partner agencies to supervise.

Fines

Anyone associated with the hotel that are found to be violating the health protocols will be punished with fines between 500 to 5,000 euros, while the hotel’s operation may be suspended from 15 to 90 days.

The health protocols are applied until December 31, as part of the country’s measures to address the Covid-19 pandemic.