1.5 million tourists are waiting for the opportunity to visit the Greek islands
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis made a statement regarding the start date of the express visa (visa at the door), which will be issued to Turkish tourists on 5 Greek islands.The fact that the start date for the issuance of an express visa (visa at the door) to five Greek islands, which the tourism industry is eagerly awaiting, has not been announced, causes criticism from both sides.Responding to a parliamentary inquiry on why the express visa program for Turkish tourists was postponed, Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said he hoped that the express visa program for Turks on 5 islands in the Aegean Sea would begin on March 30.Nikitiadis stated that the visa program was postponed from February 1 to March 1, but this date was also postponed. Greek Foreign Minister Gerapetritis noted that the program had been postponed due to a complex process requiring coordination between different ministries, and that it would be implemented after a pilot phase covering 5 islands.On the other hand, Gerapetritis stated that other islands have also asked to be included in the program, but the application for a “visa at the door” will be limited due to Schengen restrictions.Following positive developments between Greece and Turkey in recent months, it was announced that 10 islands in the Aegean Sea will be handed over to Turkish tourists. As part of a program approved by the European Union, Greece plans to issue “door-to-door visas” to Turks on five Aegean islands in the first stage.Greece expects that at least 1.5 million Turkish tourists will visit the Aegean Islands, having previously applied for a visa. As part of the application, Turkish tourists will be able to spend a week’s vacation on the islands of Lemnos, Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Leros, Kalymnos, Kos, Rhodes, Simi and Kasteloris, obtaining a visa on the spot.
