Tourism professionals do not want to return to pandemic restrictions

Tourism experts asked citizens to take measures to prevent a repeat shutdown, stating that they were concerned about the increase in the number of cases. Sector professionals who experienced difficult times due to the corona virus outbreak do not want to return to the days of closures. The tourism sector, which is one of the sectors most affected by the epidemic, is trying to close its losses in 2020 and 2021 in 2022. Accordingly, sector members in the Cappadocia Region have also become concerned again about the increase in cases of the corona virus.

Stating that they had a good season in 2019, but they had been struggling with both the pandemic and the economic crisis since 2020, an agency owner said, “2018 and 2019 were very good seasons. In 2020, the Pandemic process came as a big shock to us. We had to take a break from all investments. For 2 years, we have struggled economically with the pandemic process. Because we have not removed any of our employees from our company, but this situation has forced us financially. We believed that by the year 2022 there would be a relief in the season, and so it was. But the pandemic seems to be coming back.

After the measures were dropped, the number of cases increased too much, both in Europe and in Turkey. Our customers come from North Africa, Tunisia, Morocco or the Middle East. Measures were removed there, as well. We have lifted the measures in Turkey, as well. The lifting of the measures in Turkey has been good in some ways. This way more tourists came to our country.”

He went on to say, “The number of cases has increased a lot, especially in Istanbul. We have many customers coming to every region of Turkey and Cappadocia region, especially Istanbul. I expect a big rise in case numbers after September. If hospitalizations and deaths start, of course, we can experience the shock of the pandemic again in 2022. We are also very afraid of this. As members of the sector, we don’t feel comfortable. At least in public transport and in areas where people are in public, it is necessary to return to the mask.. Of course, there is a restlessness in people, and we are afraid of it. When people are scared, this may prevent them from traveling.”