ANKARA, may 11 — RIA Novosti. Turkey by running the program “Certification of health tourism” from the beginning of the summer season 2020, did not intend to close its borders to foreign tourists, it is told in received RIA Novosti news Agency the statement of the Minister of culture and tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy.
Earlier, the Ministry of culture and tourism of Turkey announced the launch of the program for certification of health tourism, which includes a wide range of security measures transport, accommodation, health workers of the tourism sector and guests of the country. The certification program consists of four sections: “Health and safety”, “Health and safety of employees”, “precautions at the facilities and precautionary Measures in the transport sector”.
“We act with a sense of responsibility to our citizens and our guests arriving in the country, feel comfortable during your visit. There is a proverb about the hospitality of the Turkish people: “We are not closing doors to the castle.” We are always guided by this principle and will continue to take the necessary action based on it,” said Ersoy.
He noted that the completion of the establishment of scientifically sound pandemic protocols and certification measures designed specifically for international airports, domestic airlines, highways and tourist sites.
the Process of certification of hotels is scheduled to begin in may 2020.
“the Launch of this certification program means that Turkey intends to play a leading role in normalization of activity of the tourism sector. Today the global quarantine that has led to unprecedented consequences throughout the world, is gradually softened, and that the tourism sector plays a vital role from the point of view of a society returning to normality. Hospitality, as an integral part of our culture, makes us to be the first ready to format the “healthy tourism”, — said the Minister.
According to him, the certification program must ensure that entering Turkey are tourists to spend their holidays safe and hygienic manner and feel comfortable during your visit. The program includes the preventive and protective measures against air, sea and land transportation, ports of arrival, all objects of the sphere of recreation and entertainment, as well as the health of employees and tourists themselves.
“We will encourage our entire transportation system and the tourism industry to adopt the full range of measures of reasonable precaution for the health of guests by passing this certification,” added Ersoy.
As RIA New��STI at the Ministry of culture and tourism of Turkey, certification is conducted by the leadership of the Ministry of tourism with the participation of the Ministry of interior, Ministry of foreign Affairs of the country and in close collaboration with all major participants in the travel industry, provides control of the highest level on a range of measures that should be taken by institutions of the sphere of tourism.
“a Certificate that will be issued by international certification organizations, documented a high standard health and occupational health in airlines, airports, and other transportation facilities, in the residential sector and in enterprises of public catering”, — stressed in the Ministry, setting out the measures under the four sections of the program.
“the Health and safety of passengers” — precautions used against tourists since their arrival in the country until the return flight. The list of these measures includes the restriction on the entrance to the terminals without a protective mask, providing passengers with free protective masks, the use of thermal imaging cameras to measure the body temperature at the entrance to the airport building, the presence of a sufficient amount of disinfectants and disinfection of cabins, the use of special precautions in respect of passengers, which are determined as a potential risk.
“the Health and safety of employees” — a set of precautions to ensure physical and mental health of staff in the transport, residential areas and on objects of public catering. Special measures, including hygiene and sanitation trainings for staff, psychological support staff, providing necessary medical equipment, temperature control of the personnel using the thermal imaging cameras are mandatory by the standard, it also includes the soft scheduling of work and rest of the staff, training on health, personal and occupational health, implementation of regular health checks of staff and other activities in this field.
“precautions on objects” — the set of measures needed to prevent the spread of the epidemic. To prevent new infections special measures are to be taken in residential premises, establishments, areas for entertainment, and these measures are clearly defined within the certification program. The program ensures the implementation and monitoring of measures such as social distance, limitation of external contacts, the insulation is necessary to control the spread of the pandemic among the personnel working in the tourist sector, and among the guests of the country.
“Msafety in the transport sphere” — the complex of measures and rules for air, land and sea transport. Training of staff to the transport sector, monitoring of the health of personnel, disinfection of vehicles and organization of the passenger transport system in accordance with the standards of the safe distance specified in the requirements of the certification program.
