Turkey eases virus restrictions, opens gates for tourists from 14 countries

Turkey was under a three-week lockdown which led to a decline in new Covid-19 cases. As a result, the government has eased some of the coronavirus restrictions that people had to follow.

Turkey will ease its virus restrictions from Monday as new cases of Covid-19 decline following a three-week lockdown, offering some hope for the key summer tourist season.

Turkey eases virus curbs as lockdown (Unspalsh)

Coronavirus cases plummeted to 11,472 on Saturday from a record high of 63,082 a month ago, though that’s still above the target of no more than 5,000 cases set by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan when he announced the national lockdown from April 29.

Most travel restrictions will be lifted but nighttime and weekend curfews will remain in place, and restaurants will only open for food deliveries, according to an Interior Ministry decree on Sunday. The government fears that a new surge in infections could see a wave of hotel cancellations at the beginning of the holiday period, a critical generator of revenue for Turkey.

If tourists don’t return to Turkish beaches this year, the nation’s current-account balance and lira are likely to be hit.

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This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.