Those who have been hoping for Turkey’s borders to reopen can celebrate and start packing for their holiday.
Air service to Turkey resumes on 1 August. Scheduled flights will operate to Istanbul and Ankara. From 10 August, the list of available resort destinations expands to include Antalya, Dalaman and Bodrum.
Do not expect the familiar all-inclusive holiday experience. You will most likely need to accept a number of restrictions. These have been discussed by the relevant authorities and by visitors who have already travelled to Turkey.
Before deciding whether to fly to Turkey in 2020, it is worth familiarising yourself with all the details, new rules and prices.
It is well known that Turkey’s economy depends heavily on tourism. The country is therefore taking every possible measure to ensure that holidays are safe for visitors and that they feel confident about travelling there. Local hotels must meet 132 requirements. To receive a compliance certificate, they must fulfil every one of them. Only then can a hotel reopen.
Close attention is paid not only to hotel facilities, but also to travellers arriving in the country. Not everyone planning a holiday will be able to continue directly to their hotel. Some may have to stay in an observation facility.
Airport screening for travellers
When entering Turkey, there is no need to prepare special medical certificates or undergo testing in advance. During the flight, passengers will need to complete a detailed form stating which hotel they are travelling to, who they are travelling with, their seat numbers and a phone number where they can be contacted.
At the airport, after arrival and before passport control, passengers will have their temperature checked. If it is above 37.5°C, they will be required to take a rapid coronavirus test. The procedure costs €15. If the result is positive or there are other suspected signs of illness, the passenger will be transferred to an observation facility. The stay must last at least two weeks. These restrictions may affect not only one traveller, but other passengers on the flight as well.
Importantly, the traveller must pay for their stay in the observation facility. The daily cost is €50–100. Over two weeks, this adds up to a substantial amount.
While travellers who fall ill with another infection may receive a refund for unused hotel accommodation, compensation should not be expected in the case of coronavirus.
This is why holidaymakers may want to spend extra on additional travel insurance. You can calculate the cost and arrange a policy for yourself and your family online.
So, if nobody on board has a fever and travellers have made it to their wonderful hotels, is it finally time to relax? In principle, yes—but some restrictions will still remain in place.
No longer fully all-inclusive
Some travellers looking for the best-value package holiday to Turkey for summer and autumn 2020 will not find their favourite hotels on the list. Many will be unable to reopen because their owners do not have the funds to keep operating during such a difficult period.
Upper-midrange and luxury hotels are already open and welcoming guests. Their owners have sufficient resources to comply with safety measures. Service at these properties has changed very little compared with previous years.
However, some things have changed. This season, there will be no familiar self-service buffet, where guests can approach the dishes and serve themselves as much food as they wish. Buffets are now protected by glass screens, and food is served by waiters rather than hotel guests.
Social distancing must also be observed. Tables in restaurants must be 1.5 metres apart, while sun loungers on the beach and by the pool must be 2 metres apart.
One of the most important requirements is that hotels cannot operate at more than half capacity. This may sound great: fewer tourists and more space. That is true. However, it will also significantly increase the cost of package holidays.
What are the current prices for holidays in Turkey in 2020?
You can find an option that suits your budget and requirements, and receive a discount, through the OnlineTours platform. Packages can be booked instantly. Once confirmation is received, payment is required. Everything can be done online from home.
For the most common option—7 nights for two adults—the average prices are as follows:
- 3* hotels: from $743 to $1,213—yes, some 3* hotels are more luxurious than 5* properties;
- 4* hotels: from $778 to $1,388—despite the popularity of this category, 4* hotels offer the smallest selection;
- 5* hotels: from $954 to $2,313—this category has the largest number of options, as owners have more resources to comply with all safe-holiday regulations.
Is it worth flying to Turkey in 2020?
Experts believe that package holiday prices in Turkey will be quite volatile this season. So far, the situation looks good, with prices not differing greatly from previous years. However, if demand rises sharply, prices will naturally increase.
Many travel agents and tour operators already say that a major surge in demand for holidays in Turkey is unlikely. In the cities with direct flights, demand for Turkey will certainly be high, while travellers elsewhere may wait for direct services to return.
There is another reason why demand may not change. A significant number of travellers have already holidayed this summer in Crimea or Krasnodar Krai, while others have only booked tickets for August and autumn. They may not need a trip to Turkey.
Traveller opinions are divided. Some are convinced that they should fly to Turkey as soon as possible, in case the borders close again. Others do not want to travel because of the significant restrictions. The biggest concern is overbooking. Many Belarusian travellers, who began flying to Turkey a month earlier, have reported being placed in completely different hotels. In most cases, they are told only on arrival at the airport that their paid accommodation is fully occupied by other guests and that they will be moved elsewhere. The level of service is often lower.
These problems are linked to the fact that too few hotels have reopened. Those that have resumed operations have had to reduce guest capacity because strict anti-virus measures were introduced. This leads to overbooking—a situation where more rooms are sold than are actually available. When the borders reopened, the number of such cases increased.
That is why jokes about flying to Tanzania have become especially relevant. Air service with that country also resumed on 1 August. It is still unclear how many more surprises the 2020 travel season will bring. All that remains is to watch the situation unfold.