Turkey’s Mediterranean resort province of Antalya says it is preparing for the upcoming nine days of the Eid al-Adha holiday, which will begin on Saturday amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to reports, about 10 million Turks are expected to travel within the country and will generate more than one billion U.S. dollars within the period.
Turkish authorities earlier extended the Eid al-Adha festival to nine days, which is officially scheduled between July 20 and July 23.
Antalya Gov. Ersin Yazici said on Friday that all the accommodation facilities in the region, about 680,000 beds in total will be fully booked during the next nine days.
Yazici called on travelers to come with a valid reservation, or they might have trouble finding accommodation,’’ the Hurriyet daily reported.
Seasonal tourism activity has significantly gained momentum in Antalya after Russia lifted its flight ban at the end of June.
The governor said the province had been receiving between 48,000 and 50,000 foreigners from abroad per day, mainly from Russia, and has so far hosted more than two million foreign tourists in total.
“During the upcoming holiday, we hope to see about 70,000 to 80,000 daily entries via the city’s airport,’’ Yazici was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Erkan Yagci, head of the Union of Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers and Operators, warned sector representatives against the increasing daily COVID-19 cases in Antalya.
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Besides, Yagci was quoted by the online news portal Turizm Ajansi as saying “compliance with the coronavirus-related rules at the highest level should be our priority.’’
Antalya has recently seen a sharp increase in daily coronavirus cases.
According to the latest data from the health ministry, the number of COVID-19 cases seen in every 100,000 people has increased by 82 percent between July 3 and July 9, compared to the previous week.
The region, one of the most visited tourist attractions in the country, hosts hundreds of accommodation facilities with long sunny beaches and many ancient archaeological sites.
