Local Turkiye

Nearly 3500 restaurants and hotels have the Safe Tourism Certificate

2 thousand 211 hotels, 1235 restaurants and 1431 tour transportations have taken the certificate ever since the Certification Programme for Safe Tourism was started two months ago. The programme is supported by Culture and Tourism Ministry, Health Ministry, Communications Ministry, Foreign Ministry and Interior Ministry; shareholders of tourism sector are all cooperated for this programme.

Firuz Baglikaya, the president of the Associations of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB) reminded that it is obligatory to have a certificate for accommodation facilities with more than 50 rooms. Baglikaya said:

‘’Hotels with less than 50 rooms are also strict about hygiene rules. The number of the facilities that have the Safe Tourism Certificate is constantly increasing. Charter flights from Russia were started in 10 August. We expect the number of the hotels with certificates to increase within the hustle in domestic market after eid qurban and within Russian markets in August; since some of the facilities wait foreign tourists to start operating. ‘’

‘’We have positive replies from abroad about our operations.’’

Baglikaya stated that more hotels will be opened after the positive news come from German market; in this regard, foreign press members and ambassadors are told about the measures taken in Antalya hotels during pandemic period. Baglikaya added:

‘’There also have been introductions about measures taken in Izmir and Antalya for German tour operators and travel agencies. We have positive replies from abroad about our operations in hotels, transportations and refreshment sector.

After Ukrainian and English tourists make their vacations in Turkey and go back to their country, they will have positive thoughts; hence the demand for Turkish tourism will increase in the upcoming days. ‘’

Baglikaya also mentioned about the effective measures taken by Health Ministry and stated that these measures create a good image of Turkey in abroad.

‘’If we operate smoothly during pandemic our tourism will improve.’’

Firuz Baglikaya mentioned that tourism sector is going through hard times globally and 2020 will not be a good year for the sector and said:

‘’ The important thing is that we should make the best of our efforts in 2020 and show the world how we managed the pandemic period; this will provide us a great entrance to 2021. The next year should be well planned; if we conduct the advertisement and marketing processes well Turkish tourism will continue to improve globally.’’

‘’The number of hotels, restaurants and transportations reached nearly 5 thousand.’’  

Alphan Namli, the board chairman of RoyalCert Turkey stated that nearly 5 thousand restaurants, hotels and tour transportations have taken the certificate ever since the Certification Programme for Safe Tourism was started two months ago. He said:

‘’ The applications have increased in recent times. The total taken certificate number is 4 thousand 877 and 53 percent of them was given by RoyalCert Turkey. We have given 2 thousand 590 certificates in two months. We are the market leader of hotels, restaurants and tour transportations.

Our monthly supervision in the businesses that we gave certificates still continues and we started secret supervisions too.’’

Namli stated that an increase in foreign tourism is expected within August and this will bring a certain amount of interest towards the certificate.

‘’The ministry imposes a serious sanction on hotels not sticking to the certification programme.’’

Namli mentioned that they send notices to Culture and Tourism Ministry regarding the hotels that are inappropriate or do not have a certificate even though it is obligatory; in return, the ministry imposes serious sanctions like cancelling the operation permit. He said:

‘’ Introduction and Development of Turkey Tourism Agency (TGA) follows the public authority supervisions by coordinated meetings and expects a sensibility regarding the issue. In this sense, the agency demands not only an increase in the number of hotels with certificates but also complete and constant operations.’’

‘’Certificate gives customers confidence.’’

Tahir Tekin Oztan, the CEO of Sahan Group stated that it is important that the certification programme is started by the ministry and they care about the fact that only the firms chosen by the ministry can give certificates.

Oztan reminded that Sahan Restaurant is one of the first refreshment businesses having the Safe Tourism Certificate and mentioned that certificate gives customers confidence. He said:

‘’ All refreshment businesses should have the certificate and make the customers confident because you say ‘We take all measures against the pandemic.’ by having the certificate.’’

source: AA / translated by Bazaar Times

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