Turkey preparing for opening tourism

The tourism and travel branch is one of the most profitable in Turkey. This country is the favorite tourist destination for millions of foreign vacationers. But Pandemia Corona has now paralyzed this sector. Following the ban on flights in March, the tourism branch in Turkey has suffered major losses, according to the Turkish Statistics Ent (TÜIK). Compared to a year ago, the drop in hotel bookings has been at 55.2 per cent. While the tourism branch is for Ankara the most important source of income right now in the context of the economic crisis since the summer of 2018.

Therefore, the Turkish government is now in a hurry: Ankara wants as soon as possible to abolish travel restrictions, so that the tourist season 2020 will begin precisely to host tourists on Turkish beaches. Starting in mid-June, international flights will be allowed. The Tourism Ministry argues the opening plan with the fact that Turkey is in control of the Corona crisis. In combating the Turkey virus, according to its data, it has succeeded: Hospitals have managed to cope with the flow of patients, new infections are on the decline since the beginning of May, and death quotas from the Corona virus are relatively low on international level, broadcast the DW.

A Certificate Program for More Security

For tourist enterprises to resume their jobs, an expert commission under the leadership of the Ministry of Tourism has compiled security measures. After the pandemic has been met, Turkey will now take on a preliminary role in the tourism branch, Culture and Tourism Minister Nuri Ersoy said. As the Tourism Ministry announced, a “Certification programme for healthy tourism” will be put into place. Hotels, airports, airlines, gastronomies and housing businesses will be verified if they respect standards required for hygiene and safety.

“Hotel workers under the Certificate programme will be subject to health checks as well as the test for CPVID-19”, said Association of Travel Enterprises spokesman Tur Operatörler Platformu, Cem Poliatoğlu. A doctor will be available 24 hours. To maintain the necessary distance between people and hotel personnel, only 60 per cent of their capacities will work. The restaurants are allowed to wait only 500 customers, and food will be served at the table. Clients have to go by keeping their distance to the beaches and for each exit to the beach they have to register. Discotetes and bars will remain completely closed, Polatoglu noted.

The Danger of Ecsitivity

Turkey Hotel Association Chairman, T ♫ROB, Müberra Eresin, called attention that in the meantime hotels have begun preparing for tourist reception. But the association is skeptical, however. The fact is, he says, that we are living in an extraordinary time with little planning security. “We hope that in mid-June the first steps will be taken in this branch. But it's still hard to evaluate if we can achieve the financial goal by the end of”. Priories, however, have saved people's lives as well as jobs, Eresin says.

According to the union for employees at Turkey's tourism branch, DISSK, about 2.5 million jobs, depending on the tourism industry. Whether easing travel restrictions will be a rescue, it also depends on the desire or restraint tourists may have to go to Turkey, despite the strict measures of hygiene and security being taken in this country.