Turkey to launch healthy tourism certification program

Turkey will launch a healthy tourism certification program throughout the 2020 summer season, Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said.

"Our certification program shall ensure that our guests in Turkey are going to make their holidays in a safe and hygienic manner and feel comfortable during their visit," Anadolu Agency cited Ersoy as saying.

He added that the program would cover preventive and protective steps including air, marine and land transportation, arrival ports and all holiday facilities, as well as the health condition of employees and the tourists themselves.

"We will encourage all of our transportation and accommodation facilities to take all precautions for a healthy holiday through obtaining the certificate," Ersoy stressed.

He noted that the ministry was planning to start implementing the certification process for hotels as of May, with certified facilities to be listed online as of June 1.

The minister added that this certificate program will demonstrate that Turkey will take a pioneering role in setting the direction for the normalization of tourism.