How Turkey has unveiled COVID-19 vaccination programme for travel industry

Turkey has launched an COVID-19 vaccination campaign for tourism workers in coordination with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the Ministry of Health, and the Agency for the Promotion and Development of Tourism of Turkey (TGA).

An initiative has been launched in Turkey that is part of the Safe Tourism Certification Program in order to welcome international travellers in view of the next tourist season. It is hoped that this programme will ensure the health and safety of tourism workers and the local population, underlining how this represents the highest priority.

Since the launch of the Safe Tourism Certification Program in June 2020, Turkey implemented strict health and safety guidelines and has taken all necessary measures to continue to ensure them consistently. At the opening of the tourist season, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism desired to include travel employees in the vaccination program so that tourist services could remain open all year round.

They are conducting the vaccination program designed in coordination with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labor. As part of the program, vaccination includes employees of accommodation facilities, employees of restaurants, tourist guides, and travel agents registered in the programme.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Health, a platform was recently launched where tourist facilities can register their employees for vaccination. The platform covers all the main players in the tourism industry within the program, including accommodation facilities, restaurants, vehicles used for tours and transfers, and tourist guides. Official representatives of tourist facilities will be able to register their current employees.

As part of the ongoing effort to combat COVID-19 and further strengthen its position as one of the safest destinations in the world, Turkey will continue to invest in the program. Turkey was one of the first countries to adopt a protocol in which all hotels with more than 30 rooms were obliged to join. To date, more than 8,000 hotels have obtained the certification.

Since the country expects an important recovery in tourist flows, the travel sector, with its employees, has priority in vaccination. Turkey is taking all steps to ensure it remains a safe and healthy travel destination in 2021 for international travellers.