Greece strives for safe, yet 'authentic' travel experience, says gov't spokesman

As Greece reopened to more international flights on Monday to start a belated summer season, the government said it is aiming to strike a delicate balance between an "authentic" travel experience and the safety of visitors.

"Greece is opening its doors to tourism today. Everything is ready. We want Greece to be the safest tourist destination in Europe. This is what the government, the businesses and the industry are focusing on," government spokesman Stelios Petsas told a regular press briefing on Monday.

"We all know this summer will be different from the previous ones, but we want the contact with the Greek culture to be as authentic as possible," he added, saying that Greece is welcoming tourists from countries with a low viral load.

Tourism employs about 700,000 people in the country and accounts for some 18-20 percent of Greece's economic output.