Turkey promotes safe tourism to Germans

By Servet Tumer

ANTALYA (AA) - Turkey on Friday promoted its Safe Tourism Certification program to leading German tour operators in the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya.

The program includes extensive measures for transportation and accommodation of domestic and foreign visitors. It also gives guidelines to touristic facility staff to stem the spread of coronavirus.

Turkey's Culture and Tourism Ministry and Tourism, Promotion and Development Agency along with Turkish-German carrier SunExpress are hosting the Germans.

The 34-people group which also included journalists visited the Cornelia Diamond Hotel in the Serik District.

The group was informed about the measures taken at the golf courses.

The hotel manager, Zafer Alkaya told Anadolu Agency that as part of the program Germany's elite travel agencies visited the facility's golf clubs.

Alkaya added that they are ready to welcome tourists from the European Union countries, especially from Germany, and Russia.

Ugur Akca, the general director of Germany-based Matrix Golf Reisen Agency, described coronavirus measures at Antalya Airport as “excellent” and said he has never seen these kinds of measures anywhere else.

“My advice to tourists from abroad, come to Turkey,” Akca said.

Christine Basak-Lewin of My Travel Company said she saw signs everywhere asking people to follow coronavirus measures.

Basak-Lewin added that she would advise customers to "travel to Turkey without hesitation".

She also praised Turkey’s measures against coronavirus saying that preparations are much better compared to other European countries.

Turkey is one of the most popular travel destinations for German holidaymakers. Nearly 5 million German tourists traveled to Turkey last year.