The UK Foreign Office has issued an update for vacationers are planning to visit Turkey.
The country is a popular tourist destination, with Brits making more than 2.5 million visits to Turkey in 2019, with the most popular resorts on the west coast. But the Foreign Office had previously advised people to avoid “all but essential travel” to a number of provinces across the country, the Reports from the Liverpool Echo .
However, as of Thursday August 12, the department updated its guidelines on Turkey, indicating that it no longer advises against travel to the provinces of Tunceli, Diyarbakir, Kilis and Hatay. It continues to advise against all travel to areas within 10 km of the country’s border with Syria, as well as all but essential travel to Sirnak and Hakkari province.
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The Foreign Office added that “most visits are problem-free”, but urged travelers to “be mindful of your surroundings and remain vigilant in crowded places popular with foreign nationals, including during periods of festival”.
The advice reads: “The effect of the July 2016 coup attempt is still deeply felt in Turkey, although the situation is now considerably calmer. The state of emergency imposed after the attempted coup has been lifted, although some restrictions remain in place.
The department warned that terrorist groups are “highly likely” to attempt attacks in Turkey, warning that further attacks “could be indiscriminate” and that most had taken place in the south-east of the country, as well as in the two most populated cities in the country. from Istanbul and the capital Ankara. They urged tourists to always carry their passports with them as Turkish authorities carry out random identity checks in some busy areas.
The Foreign Office also urged holidaymakers to follow the instructions of local security authorities and keep up to date with the latest media reports and travel advice. You can read more information on the Gov.uk website .
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