If you’re still patiently waiting to travel to Turkey for your hair transplant procedure, then there is good news!
The effect of covid-19 has been particularly damaging in Turkey, not least in the tourism and hospitality sectors. Turkey’s tourism revenue suffered a 65% in 2020, with the number of visitors decreasing by 70% to 15.8 million. It has been a challenging year for health tourism, where Turkey ranks among the five world leaders.
With ongoing travel restrictions between Turkey, the UK and many other countries, the race is on. The UK government has currently placed Turkey on its ‘red list’, causing uncertainty for travel plans later in the year. But these worries could soon be put to rest as Turkey works hard on reducing its daily infection rate to below 5,000 by the end of May.
Following a raft of restrictions, closures and curfews, to save the 2021 season, President Tayyip Erdogan imposed a total lockdown between 29 April and 17 May. Erdogan’s government hopes this lockdown, together with a huge vaccination drive and its safe hotel certification, will boost last-minute bookings.
Travel Requirements Are Relaxed For The UK
As of 15 May, it was announced that a PCR test will not be needed from passengers arriving in Turkey from the UK, along with fourteen other countries. There is also currently no requirement for tourists from the UK to self-isolate once in Turkey. This makes it incredibly easy to travel as soon as flights open up. You simply need to fill out a “Form for Entry to Turkey” at http://register.health.gov.tr within 72 hours of your flight.
Success With The Vaccination Programme
Turkey has a robust vaccination programme using China’s Sinovac and Pfizer/Biontech vaccines. To date, over 15 million of its 62 million citizens have been vaccinated. Health Minister Fahrettin Koca has announced that 10 million Sinovac vaccines will arrive in May and Biontech vaccines will arrive monthly between June and September. He also stated that social immunity will be fully realised in Turkey during June and July 2021.
What To Expect While Visiting Turkey
Although the lockdown is finished, the Turkish Government will continue introducing measures to limit the spread of covid and these are continually changing.
Here are some to be aware of:
- It is mandatory to wear a face mask anywhere outside throughout Turkey, and this may also apply to communal areas of your hotel
- Weekend or evening curfews may be in place for Turkish citizens and foreign residents, but these do not apply to tourists
- Any local restrictions on social gatherings do not usually apply to your hotel
- There may be restrictions on intercity travel during any curfew hours, and public transport may require a travel permit
- There can be capacity limits on public transport to ensure social distancing guidelines are met
- The Government of Turkey currently has a four-tier system for restrictions, so these can vary between provinces
As these measures continue to have an impact, it’s excellent news for Brits who are craving a holiday abroad and planning to get a healthy head of thick hair.
Just keep up to date before travelling and watch for the situation to change from red to green!