Around the world at any given time, numerous incidents and situations are happening. The year of 2015 has been no exception for the country of Turkey. Its neighbouring country of Syria has been engaged in a civil war and also fought many battles with the group called ISIS or Daesh. This has led to an influx of refugees crossing into Turkey. At the same time, political upheaval has led to increased activity from the outlawed PKK Group.
So is it safe to visit Turkey?
Well actually, nowhere in the world is 100% safe. This is a hard-core fact of current day life but let’s address each of the concerns above separately.
Fighting in Syria
At this present stage, the only area deemed unsafe is the Southeast of Turkey. This has been confirmed by travel warnings issued by foreign governments such as British and American. Many people have booked trips to places like Istanbul and Cappadocia which are hundreds, if not thousands of miles away. Their travel plans are going as expected.
Turkey is an extremely large country and for those of us living here, away from the Syrian / Turkish border, life is as normal. We are sitting on the beaches, enjoying dinners in restaurants and major historical attractions like Ephesus are still receiving hundreds of visitors every day. If it were not for the news, we would have no inkling of what was happening over our borders.
Refugees
Many refugees are in camps in the south-east of Turkey. Others are making their way to coastal resorts on the Aegean so they can board boats going to Europe but likewise, they get designated into camps. Local expats and citizens in places like Bodrum, Kusadasi and Didim have organized appeals for supplies to be given to the refugees. Once again, apart from the expats and locals who are donating their time to helping the refugees, life is carrying on as normal.
Current Political Situation
Turkey is fighting with an outlawed group called the PKK but all of this activity has been restricted to the South-east of Turkey which as we discussed above, is not considered safe but the rest of the country is.
Turkey is an extremely large country and from the East to the West, it is the equivalent of traveling from Britain to Spain. Were it not for the media outlets reporting on the situation, those of us in places like Istanbul, Cappadocia, the Aegean and Med coasts would be unaware as to what is happening because life is carrying on as normal.
Finally…
If you are in the country at any time, stay clear of any demonstrations which can typically happen in Taksim square of Istanbul since this is a well-known point for organized protests. If you have booked a tour with us, we are constantly in contact with guides, hotels and travel agencies in all areas of Turkey. It is our priority at Turkey Travel Centre, to ensure our guests are safe at all times in the country and we will update you, should any situation affect your travel plans.