At least 250,000 Russian police officers and their families are expected to visit Turkey starting from August, after Moscow removed a ban that had prevented members of the Russian security forces from travelling to some countries.
"We have not yet seen the positive impact of the removal ban. But starting from August we may see it because members of the Russian police need to arrange their annual leave and holiday plans, and all these preparations take time, probably until mid-August," the head of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers’ Association (AKTOB) Erkan Yağcı said.
"We are hoping to host some 250,000 Russian polices this year," Hurriyet daily cited him as saying.
Russian police were prohibited to go abroad in 2014, when the Russian Foreign Ministry published a list of 116 countries not recommended for traveling.
On June 22, Russian Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev signed an order, authorizing Russian police to spend their annual leave in Turkey and Thailand.
'Police tourists' from Russia expected in Turkey
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