The rules of “covid security” in Turkish hotels will change the requirements of “sustainable tourism”. Local hoteliers told the Turkish media that some rules were canceled for tourists and hotels, but others were introduced. The safe tourism certification introduced due to Covid-19 is in the past, but the hotel is waiting for the “trendy and modern” sustainable tourism certification.
We will remind that when Turkey began to “open up” to the pandemic in 2020, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism required hotels to undergo safe tourism certification, which includes masks, social distancing and other hygiene requirements. In hotel restaurants, buffets were closed, distances between tables and sunbeds were introduced, sanitizers were everywhere, etc. Fortunately, that is a thing of the past.
According to the Turkish media, the board member of the Federation of Hoteliers of Turkey (TÜROFED), the president of the Association of Hoteliers of Bodrum (BODER), Omer Faruk Dengiz, announced the cancellation of the safe tourism certification.
“After a long break, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism closed the certification of “safe tourism”. In the program of safe tourism, some rules had to be observed, such as the obligation to wear masks, not exceeding the capacity in closed rooms, the distance of approach, the distance between tables and chairs, the rules of an open buffet. The program is currently closed due to the normalization process. Hotels will not be subject to a safe tourism certificate,” he said.
However, it is too early for hoteliers to relax — the next mandatory certificate is on the way. As Mr. Dengiz stated, there is a program called “Sustainable Tourism”. “By 2030, there is an obligation to implement it in all hotels. It is a world-renowned program that is a certification program designed for an environmentally friendly facility that is appropriate for the region in which it is located,” said a representative of the hoteliers. There are no other explanations that will be required from hotels yet, but it is stated that hotels with a capacity of more than 30 rooms should receive the certificate.