Turkey remains open to tourists despite the tragedy of the earthquake

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Turkey is one of the most visited countries in the world, attracting travelers from all over the world, thanks to its historical and cultural sites.

The country is going through a difficult time following the devastating earthquakes that hit the southeast, but it is trying to ensure that tourism, which is also important in this context, continues as usual.

vital role in the national economy

The tourism sector plays an important role in the country’s economy, and it is a segment that is growing every year.

According to the latest figures published by the Turkish government, the country welcomed more than 51 million tourists in 2022, a sharp increase of 71%.

This is directly reflected in revenue: $46 billion – 53% more than in 2021 – a record that surpassed the previous high: $38.9 billion in 2019.

Although tourism is not the only sector that supports the Turkish economy, it certainly plays an important role.

Tourist hot spots untouched by the earthquake

After the earthquake, vacationers began to wonder if it was safe to travel to Turkey.

But we are talking about a very large country of almost 800,000 square kilometers, and the leading tourist destinations – such as Istanbul, Antalya, Mugla, Izmir, Cappadocia and Konya – are located far from the earthquake-hit regions.

Istanbul, a 1,000-kilometer drive from the epicenter, has not stopped. The city on the Bosphorus, which alone received about 16 million foreign tourists last year, continues to “business as usual”.

Visitors keep reservations

And those who booked their trip here before the earthquake are holding their reservations.

This is the case, for example, of Marianne Catalan, a Spanish tourist we met in Istanbul.

“Yeah, I was a little hesitant,” she says. “But since we had everything already organized, we said ‘Well, since it’s 1,000 km away…’ We thought nothing would happen here. It’s a safe country to go back to. We liked it a lot.”

There were similar thoughts from British holiday runner-up Debbie Steele, who, despite everything, continued her journey.

“We haven’t been here 24 hours,” she says, “but we love it so far, great. And the Turkish people are so lovely and friendly. And the last thing we need now is for people not to come to Turkey. More than ever, you have to come!”

Airlines are operating as normal

Traveling in Turkey – as long as it is not in the areas affected by the horrific earthquake – is safe.

Experts such as Laurent Abitbol, ​​President of Havas Voyages and Selectour, have confirmed that major airlines and international airports are business as usual.

He told us “there were no cancellations”. “It is important to know that the earthquake is 1,000 km away from the tourist points in Turkey. There is no drop in bookings. Every day we have hundreds of clients who register themselves to go to Turkey. It is very important to continue traveling to Turkey.”

For 2023, tourism is on track to return to pre-pandemic levels and the country wants to continue on this path.

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