Turkey is famous for its beaches (Image: Getty)
Tourism chiefs in Turkey have declared it is business as usual for its holiday industry despite the ongoing war in neighbouring Iran. Turkish officials have looked to reassure holidaymakers that the country remains fully operational, with flights, hotels and package holidays running normally.
It comes after reports from travel companies of a sharp decline in bookings for Eastern Mediterranean destinations including Turkey, Greece, Cyprus and Egypt, amid fears they could be affected by the Middle East conflict. Package holiday operator On the Beach last week said it had witnessed a “significant slowdown in demand following the onset of conflict in the region”. It added: “The timing of when the conflict will end and the shape of recovery in demand to these destinations are unknown.”
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Istanbul is a popular city break for tourists (Image: Getty)
Holidaymakers who had been planning to visit the Eastern Med, as well as destinations in the Gulf like Dubai, are said to be increasingly moving their trips to western Europe and the Caribbean due to the conflict.
As the Easter break approaches and more people think about their summer getaways, Turkish tourism officials have emphasised that Turkey — a popular destination for Brits — remains a safe option for visitors.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey, alongside Turkey’s Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA), said visitor activities across the country are continuing without interruption.
Authorities stressed that tourism is “proceeding as normal”, the Manchester Evening News reported.
NATO air defences have shot down three ballistic missiles fired from Iran towards Turkey since the war broke out three weeks ago, according to Ankara’s defence ministry.
In a statement earlier this week, Turkish industry chiefs confirmed every destination, accommodation, tour and attraction is functioning as scheduled — with no shutdowns, interruptions or state-mandated limitations on tourism operations anywhere across the territory.
Travellers have been assured all air services linking the UK and Ireland to Turkish airports are running on time, including routes to popular destinations such as Istanbul, Antalya, Bodrum and Izmir.
Neither airports nor carriers within the nation have faced shutdowns, constraints or diversions owing to “regional events”, they added.
Tourism officials have insisted Turkey remains a “key, reliable and high‐value destination for the UK and Irish markets in 2026 and beyond”.
The country is urging travel companies and reservation platforms to “actively sell” getaways for the 2026 summer period.
