Here's how Turkey plans to reopen to international visitors

As it prepares to reopen to international visitors in mid-June, Turkey has unveiled a new measure called a “healthy tourism certificate” programme, to ensure that its airlines, transport, accommodation, beaches and historic treasures will be safe to visit this year.

The tourism industry is vitally important to Turkey's economy © dbimages/Alamy Stock Photo

In order to instil confidence in visitors, certificates will be issued to recognise fulfilment of a high level of health and hygiene requirements and they will be granted by international certification institutions. Hotels, restaurants and transport facilities will be required to implement hygiene social distancing measures inside facilities, while the latter will also need to frequently sterilise vehicles.

“Our certification program shall ensure that our guests in Turkey are going to make their holidays safely and hygienically and feel comfortable during their visit,” says Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Turkey’s minister of culture and tourism. “Our programme covers preventive and protective steps including air, marine and land transportation, arrival ports, all facilities providing a holiday experience, health condition of employees in the industry, and tourists themselves.”

Turkey hopes its measures will make guests feel comfortable during their visit © Show Must Go On/Shutterstock

Other measures include that passengers will be required to wear masks from the time of check-in until check-out while flying, and they will be temperature screened before they board the plane. Travel industry employees will also undergo regular screening and will be given hygiene training and equipment. Turkey reopened its hotels and other visitor spots and resumed domestic flights and intercity travel on 1 June, and it intends to open to international visitors in mid-June.