In Greece, the authorities are already issuing fast visas for Turkish citizens - with the right to visit Greek islands within a week, BNR reported.
The tourism sector is happy with the flow of tourists. Benefit for the local economy and rapprochement between the two neighboring nations are the main factors for easing the visa regime for Turks, who can visit 10 Greek islands within a week.
Issuance of expedited visas by the Greek police to arriving Turkish citizens has begun. Their data is checked in the Europol database and then the visas are issued, explained the police of Rhodes, and the island has already welcomed the first Turkish tourists. The mayor of the small island of Simis also praised the initiative and reported that there is already a sharp increase in yacht owners using the island's port. The hoteliers of the islands are also satisfied, who already in the first days noted a strong increase in the flow of Turkish tourists.
Easing the visa regime for Turkish citizens is the result of an agreement between Greek Prime Minister Mitsotakis and Turkish President Erdogan after a meeting at the end of last year. However, the nationalist parties in Greece saw a threat to the easy access of Turks to the Greek islands and even invited the prime minister to end the procedure for issuing fast visas.