Istanbulites cancel vacation plans for mayoral revote

By Merve Ozlem Cakir and Elif Ferhan Yesilyurt

ANKARA (AA) - Istanbulites are cancelling their early bookings to revote in upcoming mayoral elections in June 23, a top tourism official said on Thursday.

After the Supreme Election Council (YSK) ordered the rerun of metropolitan municipality polls on June 23, some 90% vacationers applied to cancel their package tours or to change the vacation date, said Firuz Baglikaya, the head of Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB), told Anadolu Agency.

He advised travel cancellation insurance for the vacationers who bought holiday packages with early booking.

“Customers can get a full refund when they cancel their trips three days before the holiday starts, if they have the insurance,” he added.

Millions of Turkish voters cast their votes nationwide on March 31 in local elections to choose mayors, city council members, and other officials for the next five years.

Turkey’s Supreme Election Council (YSK) on Monday announced that a do-over election for Istanbul metropolitan mayoral polls will be held on June 23.

The council members accepted the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party's objection to the local election results in Istanbul.

*Writing by Busra Nur Bilgic