Turkey has lifted the suspension of direct flights from the UK ahead of the government releasing details of its traffic light system for relaxing overseas travel.
No Covid vaccination certificates will be required for international travellers entering the country, with only a negative PCR test result needed.
Tourists visiting Turkey are also being offered a special insurance deal, starting at €15 to cover Covid-19 related expenses such as treatment, medication and emergency care costs that may be incurred if visitors are taken to a state-owned or private hospital during their stay.
The Covid-19 Accommodation Support Insurance also guarantees to cover any extra accommodation expenses that may be necessary, following the issuance of a medical report requiring them to be kept under supervision in a hotel.
Priority vaccination for employees at hotels and other tourist facilities is taking place for the summer season.
More than 20.7 million doses have been administered in Turkey.
More than 8,000 facilities have been certified in a ‘safe tourism’ scheme covering accommodation with 30 or more rooms.
Certified properties provide testing facilities for tourists so they can obtain test results before departing Turkey for the UK or elsewhere.
PCR tests cost approximately €30 and are also available to be carried out at Turkey’s international airports.
Airlines flying from the UK include Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, British Airways, EasyJet, Jet2, Tui, Sun Express. Freebird Airlines and Wizz Air have announced new routes this summer.
Two and a half million British tourists visited Turkey in 2019, with visitors staying in popular areas including Istanbul, Bodrum, Dalaman and Izmir.
Which? Travel editor Rory Boland said: “Turkey lifting its ban on direct flights from the UK is only half the story for those who want to travel to the country. People shouldn’t book their holiday until they know which colour the UK government will place Turkey in its traffic light system.
“If travellers book now, they have no way of knowing whether they will need to quarantine on their return or how much they may need to pay for tests – which could cost several hundreds of pounds if Turkey is placed on the amber list.”