Turkey offers medical insurance to tourists

Turkish Minister of Tourism and Culture Mehmet Nuri Ersoy detailed that the country’s ‘trailblazing’ new progamme covers all aspects of the journey, from the aircraft to the airport, transfers and hotels. As of 1 July, airlines, tour operators and other online marketplaces will sell the insurance packages covering medical costs up to €7,000 – purchased by travellers as €15, €19, and €23 insurance packages.

“We would like take this opportunity to remind our guests that we will be looking forward to welcome their citizens to Turkey after the resumption of international flights,” said Ersoy. “Observing the positive impression made by the measures we have taken on our guests further confirms the expediency of our Safe Tourism Certification programme.”

He added: “Thanks to our thousands of healthcare professionals working here, these cities are also health centres as well as tourism. We thought of all the details for our guests who want to have a holiday in our country during the epidemic period. As of July 1, we have created a health insurance package that includes Covid-19 for our foreign guests visiting our country.”

Elsewhere, Cyprus has also announced a healthcare initiative that it hopes will encourage travellers to visit its shores this summer. In early June, the Cypriot Government asserted that should visitors from countries permitted to visit test positive for Covid-19 after visiting the country, they will have their travel costs reimbursed by the county.

It’s great to see destinations adopting these kind of health initiatives, which place the health needs of the travelling population as a central factor to the reopening of the travel market. What’s more, it’s also a great means for destinations to reopen their international patient facilities, reminding travellers that they have that additional safety net of quality medical care, should they need it.