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www.nitravelnews.com


February 2023


Turkey Recrods a Great Post-Pandemic Come Back!


EU Warned to Prepare for Future


Travel Crises THE EU has been warned it must prepare itself to better to deal with any future travel crises, such as the Covid pandemic. A new report by the European


Court of


Auditors has determined that while the EU’s Digital Covid Certificate did help coordinate travel restrictions between EU countries, the impact of other tools “was modest”. The report highlighted positives, such as how the contact-tracing gateway became operational seven months after the start of the pandemic and the completion of the EU Digital Certificate before EU countries had finished their vaccination plans. However, the report concluded with the auditors calling “on the EU to prepare itself better, so that it can face potential future emergencies more successfully”.


TURKIYE’S Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced the


country’s 2022 tourism


results. According to the Turkish Customs data, the number of tourists Türkiye welcomed in 2022 exceeded 51.4 million. This is 99% of the pre-pandemic period’s


record year, 2019, which came in at 51.8 million. With this number Türkiye became the 3rd biggest tourism market in the world. Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, Türkiye’s Minister of Culture and Tourism said, “By the end of 2022, the global tourism visitor data recovered by 65% compared to the pre-pandemic period, meaning Türkiye has almost reached its pre- pandemic numbers. Our growth in tourism revenues is even more impressive; in 2022, Türkiye’s tourism revenues reached a record- breaking $46.3 billion with an increase of 19% compared to 2019. These results certify that Türkiye had a great come-back after the pandemic, and we are confident to bring 90 million tourists and achieve $100 billion in tourism revenues by the end of 2028.” Türkiye will focus on some particular areas


in its tourism promotion activities; Faith, Gastronomy, and Sports Tourism, specifically Bicycle Tourism, and MICE are to be the main highlights. Türkiye will also focus on Health Tourism as well as diversifying its tourism supply to its 81 cities throughout the year. Creating archaeological attraction points, Türkiye will continue its archaeological excavations at Taş Tepeler area – the oldest Neolithic site in the world, and launch new archaeological parks in Side- Antalya, Göreme-Cappadocia, Pergamon and Asklepion sites in İzmir and within the Lycian Way.


Jet2.com and Jet2holidays Increase Summer 2023 Capacity to Top Holiday Destination from Belfast


JET2.COM and Jet2holidays have demonstrated a further commitment to Turkey,


by


introducing additional flights and holidays to the popular destination for Summer 2023 from Belfast. In response to strong demand


for flights and great value, ATOL protected package holidays, the largest British leisure airline and tour operator from the UK to Turkey


have put additional flights on sale to Antalya and Dalaman from Belfast International. The addition of these flights comes


as holidaymakers flock to book breaks to Turkey for the Summer holiday period due the fantastic value for money the destination offers and year-round sunshine, making it ideal for those looking to grab a slice of early summer sun.


Inspiring Holidays and Great Getaways Direct from Northern Ireland 2023


If you haven’t yet got round to booking yourself a break for 2023 whether it’s for sunshine,


Belfast City airport, customers


can


book a variety of destinations including exciting beach holidays in the


If a city break is more your style, city


breaks, cruises and more then help is at hand! From Belfast International and


Greek islands


of Corfu, Crete, Kos and Rhodes as well as Dalaman in Turkey. If a taste of Spain is what you’re looking for then TUI flies to Ibiza, Lanzarote, Costa Del Sol, Majorca, Costa Dorada and Tenerife. Fly to The Algarve in Portugal for superb coastlines, great golf courses, and some exciting nightlife along with ancient fishing villages, medieval towns and pristine nature reserves.


TUI have short durations available to Krakow, Barcelona, Amsterdam and more. There’s excitement and adventure further afield in Orlando, Florida and if a Cruising adventure has been on your wish list for a while, then hop aboard with TUI flying direct from Belfast to the Mediterranean to start your adventure. Charlotte Brenner, Marketing


Manager


for TUI says: “Summer ’23 with TUI offers exceptional choice, quality and value for money for Northern


Ireland


holidaymakers… “…We encourage Northern


holidaymakers


Irish to


plan and book now to


secure the holiday that suits their needs as well as avail of the early booking savings, low booking deposits and free child places.”


Foreign Office Issues Safety Advice to Holiaymakers these situations.”


THE Foreign Office has updated its travel advice for Turkey with new safety guidelines. The FCDO said that while most visits to Turkey are “trouble free”, travellers should be “alert to their surroundings” and “remain vigilant in crowded places”. Last year, 51 cases of sexual assault – including rape – were reported to British consular staff in Turkey. That’s up from 30 in 2019. The majority, said the FCDO, occurred during the summer in coastal tourist areas, and were typically committed by someone the victim had met during the day. “There have also been sexual attacks on minors visiting toilet facilities alone,” said the FCDO. “You should be extra vigilant in


Drink spiking is of particular concern for the FCDO and holidaymakers are being advised to buy their own drinks and be wary of strangers offering food and drink, to change money, or to take them to a restaurant or nightclub.


Visitors are encouraged to keep their passports secure, with the FCDO confirming reports of passports being stolen from rented villas “even when they have been kept in the villa safe”.


Travellers are urged not to accept lifts from strangers and instead


travel


using registered yellow taxis, noting the registration before getting in.


Remote Working Visas Attract Individuals and


Families to Pursue a European Lifestyle THE Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has recently announced that 200 applicants have been granted a Digital Nomad Visa to live and work in the


a reality for global remote workers.


Digital Nomadism is a trend that started in the early


2000s country, since the


launch of the visa scheme in October 2022. According to the government body, the remote workers who have been granted the visa come from the USA, United Kingdom and Brazil.


Other European countries have joined Portugal in regulating the stay of remote workers including Malta, Spain Croatia, Czech Republic,


Estonia, –


Finland and Norway. With talks of Italy announcing a similar visa soon, a European lifestyle


temporary or permanent can now become to and duties remotely. Greece,


With remote work becoming the norm, countries were also forced to catch up and regulate their stay with the so-called Digital Nomad Visas. Patricia Casaburi Managing Director of Global Citizen Solutions, a boutique investment migration company based in UK and Portugal explains how the visa works,


Upping sticks and moving to a different country is not a decision to be taken lightly. However, now the


gained


traction during the Covid-19 pandemic, workers


which forced perform


their


Digital Nomad Visa has made it possible for individuals and families to plan a life in Europe for a limited period of time. Portugal,


Malta, Greece


and Spain are attractive for remote workers due to the abundance of work hubs, warm weather, low cost of living and connections to major EU capitals.


It is also an opportunity


to bring talent and specific skill sets to these countries, whilst boosting the local economy. Those who acquire the Digital Nomad Visa are permitted visa-free travel across the European Union’s Schengen Area,


which


consists of 27 EU member states – for as long as their permit is valid.


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