The Interior Ministry announced that PCR tests would not be required from travelers arriving from abroad starting on June 1.
This is the most recent action Turkey has taken to loosen restrictions connected to the coronavirus pandemic, which has waned dramatically this spring.
As the pandemic progresses, the ministry said rules and measures will be determined based on “global developments,” referring to an update of restrictions on land, sea, and air entry on March 3, 2022.
Back then, Turkey lifted the quarantine on inbound travelers from abroad who were in possession of a negative PCR test, had recovered from the virus within the previous six months, or had been vaccinated with at least two doses of a coronavirus vaccine if arriving by plane.
The lifting of the PCR test was not the only thing that the Turkish government dropped. From now on, fully vaccinated travelers no longer need to present proof of a Covid-19 vaccine certificate to be allowed in the country.
Since all Covid certificates are officially no longer considered relevant travel documents, vaccinated and unvaccinated persons will be treated exactly the same upon entry.
Previously, vaccinated passengers were exempt from mandatory testing, which was one of Turkey’s last remaining sanitary barriers against Covid.
With the elimination of both vaccination certificates and testing, Turkey has effectively returned to its pre-pandemic state of normalcy, when travelers only needed a valid passport to enter the country.
In addition, Turkey has removed its mandatory mask mandate on on mass transit although it will remain compulsory for hospitals.
Turkey saw foreign arrivals rise 94.1% to 24.71 million and revenues double to nearly $25 billion last year as Covid-19 measures were eased compared to 2020.
Officials had hoped tourism this year could repeat or surpass 2019’s numbers, when some 52 million visitors brought in $34 billion in revenue. The latest data show that the number of foreign arrivals in Turkey has increased by more than 225%.