Since June 22, Russia has resumed full-scale flights with Turkey and launched flights to resorts in 32 Russian cities. From that moment on, the number of those wishing to warm their sides under the active Turkish sun is growing by leaps and bounds. However, the epidemic situation in the country has begun to deteriorate in recent weeks. There is information that the Turks blame Russian tourists for this.
“MK” found out whether this is really so and what is happening in the Turkish resorts.
Indeed, the number of COVID-19 delta strain infections in Turkey has tripled in the past week. As of July 13, 750 people were infected with it in 36 provinces, although a week earlier there were 286 cases. One of the Russian portals about Turkey cites excerpts from a certain Turkish publication: the president of the Antalya Medical Chamber Nursel ahin said that “due to the uncontrolled arrival travelers “the country will soon be covered by a new wave of coronavirus. And the greatest concern of doctors is caused by “a huge number of tourists from Russia, where the delta strain of COVID-19 is actively flourishing.”
An expert on Turkey, Vladimir Hotko, who lives in Alanya, assures that “normal” Turkish publications do not write about anything like this, and the Turks, on the contrary, are happy with our tourists:
– The Turks, on the other hand, are praying for Russian tourists. Only 10 days have passed since the Russians began to fill Turkish hotels, now they are filled with both vacationers from Russia and from other countries. In fact, there are no coronavirus patients among tourists.
Now, according to the expert, there will be some increase in the number of cases, and it is expected, since in Turkey, from the afternoon of July 19, the Eid al-Adha holiday begins, and it will last until July 26. But these official holidays are for civil servants only, and the rest of the population celebrates the month. By this time, the Turkish Ministry of Health planned to vaccinate 70% of the population in order to avoid the consequences.
This holiday is the most important for the Turks, according to tradition, they visit relatives. Travel and movement of citizens began in early July. On top of that, it’s also vacation time, and the locals are heading to resorts as well.
– The Turks were afraid that the president of the country, like last year, would impose a curfew on Eid al-Adha. Therefore, they began to move in advance to relatives and resorts. Since the beginning of July, the whole country has been on the move, all tickets for buses and planes have been bought, all hotels have been booked, the routes are clogged. Naturally, this is reflected in the growth of diseases. The problem is not in the tourists, but in the local population, in their traditions and mentality. It is the locals who carry everything around Turkey during the holidays, visiting relatives, funerals and weddings …
We could not help asking the expert a question about the heat reigning in Turkish resorts – what should tourists prepare for?
– For Antalya, +45 in the sun is the usual temperature for July and August. The sea, swimming pools and air conditioners smooth out the heat, tourists come for this, and no one complains about the heat. Now it is evening, and we have +34, and it feels like +38, but today is one of the hottest days.
– The Internet has spread around photos of citizens sleeping on the beaches of Turkish resorts, on mattresses, bedding, covered with sheets …
– Local residents sleep on the beaches, who come from mountain villages on vacation. They are like gypsies, residents with a minimum income. For them, spending the night on the beaches is the norm, and this happens every year, regardless of the heat.
– How is your situation in general?
– Yesterday Turkey celebrated the Day of Democracy without restrictions with processions and concerts, there are no restrictions on the upcoming holidays of Eid al-Adha. For the first time in two years, nightclubs and discos have opened. So far, everything is fine in Turkey.
Indeed, as experts on foreign travel say, all accusations of spreading the “infection” not only by Russian, but also by tourists from other countries seem unfounded, since there are strict rules for entering Turkey, as well as other countries. Vacationers who are not vaccinated, not ill, without a negative PCR test will not get to Turkish beaches.
However, tourists should still be prepared for the fact that due to the influx of locals, including to the resorts of Turkey, they can expect a number of inconveniences. Perhaps it is worth waiting for the end of the main Turkish holiday.
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