As of the 8th of June 2022, visitors entering Turkey will no longer be subject to COVID-related restrictions. It was declared by Turkey’s Interior Ministry that passengers will no longer need to provide proof of vaccination, proof of recovery, or a negative PCR test result in order to enter Turkiye.
The recent reforms, according to the Turkish Tourism Board, are expected to help Turkey welcome its highest-ever number of tourists this year. Turkish tourism is expected to return to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2022, due to an increase in international travel demand.
The pre-pandemic quarter of 2019 earned a record USD 34.5 billion in tourist income, receiving 52 million visitors. Since the COVID-19 restrictions were loosened, Turkey reported a 94.1 percent increase in international tourists to 24.71 million and an increase in revenues of approximately $25 billion.
The world’s 6th most popular tourist destination is Turkey. “Independent travelers” (FIT) and visitors from all over the world attending “meetings, incentive tours, conferences, and events” (MICE) are expected to make Turkey one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations this year.
Additionally, Turkey recently eliminated one of the two remaining protective mask rules, allowing citizens to board public transit without masks, while they will still be required in hospitals.
Face masks were enforced by the government in 2020 during the early phases of the epidemic. Except for hospitals and public transportation, all mask regulations were lifted in March after two years and removed altogether in April.
Widespread immunization, a large number of survivors, and the appearance of the less severe omicron virus signaled progress in the pandemic.
The Turkish government has loosened its mask requirement, citing the fact that the epidemic no longer poses a global threat and in light of similar actions taken by other countries.
