We have seen a good response from India over the years, says Ozgur Ayturk

Bengaluru: To anyone who thinks Turkey is unsafe, I would say come and see for yourself the wonders it has to offer, remarked Ozgur Ayturk, Coordinator, Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism General Directorate of Promotion.

The recent terror attacks and a coup attempt has affected Turkey’s global image, but the country is now on an overdrive to allay the fears of tourists across the globe and promote its famed tourist hot spots.

At an interview with Deccan Chronicle Ayturk said, “We know that we suffered a few unfortunate events, but we regained control sooner than the world thinks. It was sad when things were exaggerated on television. It literally took us 2-3 days to come back to normal, which wasn’t talked about, but by that time, the damage was done.”

He said when the terror attacks happened; the tourists were given an option to leave the country, if they wanted to, without paying any penalty. “The Turkish Airline was ready to fly passengers out who wanted to leave the country without any penalty. Only one or two people left, everyone else stayed because they knew the situation was not that bad.”

To mend its damaged reputation, Turkey is now reaching out to many nations, particularly India, which Ayturk said was an important market. “We have seen a good response from India over the years,” he added. Since a large part of the population still depends on tour operators to map out their travel plans, they are introducing cash incentives to them. They are also planning to introduce incentives for chartered flights, if given the opportunity, he said. “It is a win-win for both the countries, not just economically but to strengthen bonds between us. If we get permits, we are ready to start tomorrow,” he added.

Turkey has also organised an eight-city road show to increase destination awareness and highlight the new attractions in the country. “There is a lot to see in Turkey. It is a melting pot of Europe and Asia. We hope this event will also have a positive impact and further increase the Indian footfall in Turkey,” Ayturk.said.

To make Turkey an attractive destination, the Turkish government has also made electronic visas easily accessible to Indians. “If you have a layover in Istanbul and are travelling to Europe or are on a Shenghen visa, you can access the e-visa in about 15 minutes. The Turkish Airlines also provides free city tours.”