It seemed like a long way off when it struck, but now there does seem to be a ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ as most countries are starting to set out their exit plans to slowly lift social restrictions. One of the big declines over the past few months has been in Travel & Tourism, and as it’s also one of the largest earner for the economy, with around 34.5 billion USD in revenue last year, the earlier this can be started again the better.
One of the most popular religious holidays of the year is coming up, and the Ramadan Bayram Feast is due to take place on the 24th May. Traditionally it brings lots of families and loved ones together as they celebrate the end of fasting, and the hope for Turkey is that the tourism season can start again at the end of May. Mehmet Esory is the Turkish Minister for Culture & Tourism and he too said that ‘Hopefully, we will see that tourism activities will start again during the Ramadan Feast’. He also confirmed that he ‘expects flight schedules to return to normal by the end of June’.
As with many other countries Turkey introduced a range of stimulus packages to help shore up the economy in the short term and help everyone that was duly affected by Covid 19, and therefore to help those in the tourism sector, the Turkish government is currently paying the salaries, working out to around 60% of the daily gross average earning.
In terms of Air Travel which directly affects the Tourism Industry, domestic flights are due to start up again first, then flights from Asia, Russia, Baltics and lastly Europe, though this is subject to review, depending on the Covid 19 situation in those other territories. Currently Turkish Airlines flights are cancelled up until May, and Pegasus cancelled all flights until further notice.
The message is that we will get through this, and we will be stronger as a global united nation, but things have to be done at the right pace, so though it’s not a time to be breaking the social restrictions just yet, it is a time to stay strong, stay positive and look towards a bright future!
