Greek Visa Policy Subject To Change

“First they frighten us with the bird flu, then the swine influenza and now the economic crisis, but we are alive, we travel domestically and abroad, so nothing terrible is happening,” Chair of the Russian Federal Tourism Agency Anatoliy Yarochkin said.

Greek tourism would get a boost if visa procedures for entry permits to Greece are less complicated, agreed Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Geroulanos and Alternate Foreign Minister Dimitris Droutsas in a recent meeting.

Mr. Geroulanos spoke specifically of simplifying visa procedures for visitors from Russia, Ukraine, China and the Middle East.

The tourism minister said the effort aims to reduce the cost of visas for countries of interest to Greece.

Mr. Geroulanos also focused on the possibility of extending the visa duration in compliance with European Union legislation.

In addition, during her visit to the international travel fair Intourmarket in Moscow last month, Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister Angela Gerekou held talks with the Chair of the Russian Federal Tourism Agency Anatoliy Yarochkin on the matter.

She underlined that the visa status would soon be simplified for Russians as the ministry aims to make Greece one of the main destinations of Russian tourists.