This week Europe has once again suffered the consequences of Islamic terrorism. As you may already know, on the night of June 28, the airport in Istanbul , Turkey, was attacked by three suicide bombers who, using Kalashnikov and explosives, caused 41 deaths and 239 injuries. Unfortunately, it is not ruled out that there may be more deaths, since some of the injured are very serious.
As you can imagine, this attack has been a serious blow to tourism in Turkey, which was already quite affected. And this is the third ISIS attack on Istanbul so far this year. Emblematic places of Istanbul such as the Blue Mosque or Hagia Sophia already looked soulless before the attack on the airfield. In addition, the number of foreigners had been reduced in places like Cappadocia and the Turquoise coast. Logically, the tourism sector fears that after the attack, the summer will be even more disastrous than expected. Of course, if you are not one of those who gets scared and you still plan to travel to Turkey in the next few weeks, we recommend that you do not miss the tips that we tell you below.
Advantages of traveling to Turkey now
As a result of the attack, many have decided to cancel their trip to Turkey for this summer. For others, on the other hand, it is a good time to visit the country, as security measures will increase and prices for flights and hotels will plummet. In addition, the queues to visit the emblematic monuments will be reduced. On the other hand, some argue that nowadays no place is safe from terrorism, so you have to take advantage of traveling to Turkey right now. Of course, if you finally decide to visit this European country that has been the target of ISIS and other terrorist organizations lately, it is important that you take into account some recommendations.
Attitude of prudence and vigilance
Following the terrorist attack on the Istanbul airport, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation has updated its recommendations for travel to Turkey. Thus, the first thing they recommend is "travel with extreme caution and refrain from doing so in certain areas." On the other hand, the Government advises to be extremely prudent and to have an attitude of extreme vigilance when traveling to Turkey. In the same way, it is important to avoid all kinds of crowds and demonstrations, since there is a risk of another terrorist attack.
Avoid certain areas
As we have just mentioned, the Ministry recommends avoiding some areas and acting in a certain way in some places. For example, in Istanbul you have to be very alert to the places with the greatest tourist presence, the public transport network and, especially, the metro. But do not think that they only refer to Istanbul, but that the Embassy has also warned about Ankara , advising to avoid the Kizilay neighborhood for the next few days, especially public buildings and police and military facilities, in addition to maintaining an alert attitude in public transport. On the other hand, the Ministry recommends absolutely avoiding the provinces of Diyarbakir and Sirnak, where violence has spread; provinces and cities bordering Syria; border areas with Iraq; southeastern provinces of the country close to the Syrian border; and regions of Mount Ararat and TendĂĽrek.
Through the Embassy’s Twitter
We also want to recommend that you stay in hotels with good security systems if you finally decide to travel to Turkey and that you exercise caution in museums, bazaars and restaurants. Finally, we want to comment that you can stay informed about the evolution of events through the Embassy’s Twitter (@EmbEsTurquia).