Marmaris exempts elderly foreign tourists from curfew

MUĞLA

Officials in the holiday resort town of Marmaris in the Aegean province of Muğla have decided to exempt elderly foreign visitors aged 65 and over from a curfew, a nationwide measure for elderly citizens the government introduced to curb the spread of the coronavirus outbreak.

The local public health assembly took a decision to ease the restrictions on the movements of elderly foreign tourists in the town, the district governor’s office in Marmaris said in a statement.

“Members of the assembly unanimously voted to exempt elderly foreign nationals, who are in Marmaris for vacation, during their holiday in the town,” the statement added.

Turkey’s elderly citizens are allowed to venture outside between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. every day as part of the country’s anti-virus precautions.

Muğla is a favorite holiday destination among British, Russian, Ukrainian and German holidaymakers. Last year, more than 1 million vacationers from the U.K. visited the province, while over 500,000 Russians spent their holiday there.

The country has launched a healthy tourism certification program to ensure a safe stay for local and international tourists.

Turkey has been easing many restrictions introduced in the wake of the outbreak as it made progress in the fight against COVID-19.

In June, the country’s elderly citizens aged 65 years and over were allowed to travel for tourism purposes with a permission obtained from relevant authorities.

The elderly people are able to seek travel permission for up to six people, including their spouse, siblings, and their immediate family members.