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İsoqar Turkey

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Safe Tourism Certificate

Turkey’s ‘Safe Tourism Certification Program’ defines and advises an extensive series of measures to be taken with regards to transportation and accommodation of all Turkish citizens and international visitors who will spend their holidays in Turkey as well as the well-being and health conditions of passengers/guests and of employees working at touristic facilities.

Within the scope of the program, as ISOQAR Certification, accommodation and food and beverage facilities will be inspected in international standards within the framework of separate criteria, hygiene and health inspection and conformity assessment will be made and reports will be prepared, and an auditor will be regularly sent to the applicant facilities and it will be checked whether the service is provided in accordance with the criteria.

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• BE READY FOR COVID-19

As the COVID-19 situation evolves, many people around the world continue to travel: for leisure, for business and for vital humanitarian reasons.

Anyone travelling has a duty of care to themselves and to others. 

There are no excuses and no exceptions!

Stay safe and travel responsibly by following these simple but effective guidelines:

Should I still travel?

• Before you travel, consult your national health authority and check the guidelines
• You have a responsibility to keep yourself and others safe.
• If you become sick while travelling, isolate yourself and seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Just returned home?

• If you’ve returned from a destination experiencing asevere COVID-19 outbreak, stay at home and isolate yourself as well as possible, even if you don’t feel ill.
• Should you start feeling unwell and believe you might have COVID-19, call your local healthcare provider. Follow their instructions and, unless advised otherwise, stay home.

Keep safe while travelling?

• The best way to stay safe while travelling is to follow the latest World Health Organization guidelines as closely as possible.
• Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, avoid shaking hands or touching your face, try and stay away from crowded places.
• Where possible, maintain at least 1 meter between yourself and others.

#RESPONSIBLETRAVEL

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Safety Factors Influencing Travel and Tourism

Disclaimer: Some posts on Tourism Teacher may contain affiliate links. If you appreciate this content, you can show your support by making a purchase through these links or by buying me a coffee . Thank you for your support!

There are many safety factors influencing travel and tourism around the world. Lets face it- most people do not want to travel to a destination that they view as being unsafe! So what should tourist destinations do about this and what do the tourists themselves need to know? Read on to learn all about the safety factors influencing travel and tourism .

Why are Safety Factors Influencing Travel and Tourism Important?

Risks in destinations, safety factors to watch out for, why safety is a priority.

• The Balancing Act of Safety and Convenience
• A Sense of Security
• Making the Choice
• Adapting to the Landscape

Safety factors influencing travel and tourism are critical because they ensure that tourists can explore new places without worrying about their well-being. Think of it like this: when you’re planning to visit somewhere new, you want to know you’re going to be safe, right? Safety and security are like invisible shields that protect you from potential dangers while you’re on an adventure.

But why are these safety factors so important for the travel and tourism industry? Well, they’re the backbone of creating an awesome travel experience. Whether tourists are zip-lining through rainforests , checking out ancient ruins, or just chilling on the beach , feeling safe boosts the fun and freedom of exploring. It lets tourists fully dive into the experience without holding back because they’re worried about what could go wrong.

On the flip side, if people hear about dangers like political unrest , high crime rates, or health issues at a destination, they might rethink their travel plans. No one wants to spend their hard-earned vacation time in a place where they don’t feel secure. That’s why it’s super important for destinations and travel companies to address these safety factors influencing travel and tourism head-on.

Exploring new places offers thrilling experiences, like navigating a bustling city with an unfamiliar but enchanting language or diving into the heart of a local festival rich with unknown customs. These adventures, though rewarding, come with their own set of challenges, such as the risks of miscommunication, cultural misunderstandings , or accidentally offending someone. These are key safety factors influencing travel and tourism that need careful consideration.

To tackle these challenges, a combination of preparation, respect, and openness is essential. Learning a few phrases in the local language not only eases communication but also shows respect for the culture you’re immersing yourself in. A basic understanding of local customs and etiquette goes a long way in ensuring smooth interactions with the people you meet.

Yet, it’s crucial to remember that safety factors influencing travel and tourism extend beyond cultural awareness. Physical safety in unfamiliar settings is just as important. For instance, navigating streets in countries with different traffic rules or tackling more demanding hiking trails than you’re used to can pose significant risks. These situations underscore the importance of staying informed and prepared, highlighting how safety and cultural understanding are intertwined in ensuring a positive travel experience.

It is essential to be aware of the safety factors influencing travel and tourism, ensuring a safe and enjoyable journey for both tourists and those managing tourist businesses. Here are some of the common considerations that should be taken into account:

Pickpocketing and Theft: Busy markets and tourist attractions are prime targets for pickpockets. It’s crucial to stay vigilant and protect your belongings. Using money belts or crossbody bags can help secure your valuables. Educating tourists about these risks and offering tips for safeguarding their possessions can greatly reduce the incidence of theft.

Getting Lost: The thrill of exploring unknown streets and trails can sometimes lead to disorientation. Encouraging tourists to carry maps or use a compass , GPS can prevent them from getting lost. Additionally, reminding them not to overly rely on their phones, which may run out of battery, and to seek local advice can enhance their exploration experience.

Bumping into Wildlife: Interactions with wildlife, often referred to as wildlife tourism , can be unpredictable. It’s important for tourists to maintain a safe distance and be informed about how to behave around wild animals. This not only protects the tourists but also respects the natural habitat of the wildlife.

Bribery and Corruption: Encountering bribery and corruption can be challenging. It’s vital for tourists to be aware of these issues and understand the importance of adhering to legal and ethical standards. Providing guidance on how to handle such situations can empower tourists to travel responsibly.

In the world of travel and tourism, safety is a collective effort, encompassing a range of measures designed to protect and assist tourists during their adventures. Understanding the safety factors influencing travel and tourism involves recognising the systems and personnel in place to ensure tourists’ safety. Here’s an overview of how the industry works to keep you safe:

The Eyes in the Sky and on the Ground: CCTV cameras are widespread in tourist destinations, serving as vigilant observers that help maintain order and safety. These cameras act as deterrents to criminal activity and are essential tools in monitoring public spaces, ensuring that tourists can explore without worry.

The Helpers in Uniform: Police and security personnel play a pivotal role in tourist safety, offering guidance, assistance, and protection. Whether travelers find themselves in need of directions or in more serious situations, these professionals are on hand to ensure their well-being, contributing significantly to a positive travel experience.

The Gatekeepers of the Skies: Airport security, including scanners and thorough checks, might seem tedious but are crucial in safeguarding air travel. These measures prevent prohibited items from being brought onto aircraft, ensuring the safety of all passengers and facilitating a smooth journey to or from your destination.

Influence on Visitors

The implementation and maintenance of safety measures at destinations worldwide significantly impact tourists. These safety factors influencing travel and tourism are crucial not just for protection but also for shaping the overall travel experience. Lets take a closer look at some key aspects:

The Balancing Act of Safety and Convenience: One of the core challenges the industry faces is balancing safety with convenience. While security protocols like airport checks and ubiquitous CCTV surveillance are essential, they can sometimes impede the fluidity of travel. Despite this, their importance in preventing harm and ensuring traveler safety is undeniable. It’s akin to wearing safety gear during adventure sports ; a slight inconvenience for a significant gain in safety.

A Sense of Security: The presence of comprehensive safety measures offers tourists peace of mind, allowing them to engage more deeply with their surroundings and the cultures they visit . This sense of security is fundamental, enabling tourists to venture into new experiences with confidence, knowing there’s a support system in place should things go away.

Making the Choice: The reputation of a destination regarding its safety standards often plays a crucial role in the decision-making process for travellers. Destinations known for their effective safety measures and low crime rates are more likely to be chosen by tourists. This preference underscores the importance of promoting and maintaining high safety standards to attract visitors.

Adapting to the Landscape: Lastly, the emphasis on safety encourages travelers to become more adaptable and informed. By understanding and complying with safety protocols, travelers not only ensure their well-being but also contribute to the safety and sustainability of the destinations they visit. This adaptability and awareness enrich the travel experience, turning tourists into responsible global citizens.

To Conclude: Safety Factors Influencing Travel and Tourism

As you can see, there are many safety factors influencing travel and tourism that must be considered by tourism stakeholders . These could be small issues, or very big problems if they are not managed correctly! Overall, if a destination is viewed as being safe, this is a good thing for tourism!

If you enjoyed this article, I am sure you will like these too:

• Media Factors Influencing Travel and Tourism
• Natural Factors Influencing Travel and Tourism
• Political Factors Influencing Tourism
• The Effects of Economic Factors on Global Travel and Tourism
• 150 fascinating types of tourism you didn’t know existed

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Safe coastal tourism, search form, error message.

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Tourist Safety and Security, Practical Measures for Destinations

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How your destination can promote safety during a tourism restart

Best practices and tactics + content marketing and campaigns.

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• Remote workers stay longer, spark tourism recovery for some destinations - 23 October 2020
• How your destination can promote safety during a tourism restart - 10 July 2020
• 5 ways agile tourism businesses are finding creative ways to operate - 18 June 2020

10 July 2020

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“Promoting safe travel is so important because no one wants the tourism industry to be responsible for a second wave of infection and illness.”  – William Bakker, Chief Strategist at Destination Think 

As your destination progresses towards a tourism restart , the health and safety of your visitors and residents should be your highest priority. Your destination marketing organization (DMO) may face pressure to promote travel, but, for many places, returning to business-as-usual is not possible or responsible. 

Right now, promoting safe travel is the only way to promote travel at all. Take note of these tactics as you work to support your local community. We’ve noticed many DMOs doing great work in these areas. If you haven’t already considered these approaches, now’s the time to start. 

1. Understand your social responsibility 

Your DMO may have worn multiple hats over the past few months, including public servant , community leader and crisis manager , and now you’ll don another: safety advocate.

Regardless of whether you’ve been called upon by your local government to amplify safety messages, encouraging responsible travel is crucial. “Your actions won’t only help with the short-term; they’ll also offer an opportunity to build a strong reputation for the future,” says William. 

Here are some considerations for your DMO: 

• Guiding your industry partners on how to reopen safely;
• Communicating official health regulations on physical distancing in your region; 
• Advocating for safe travel practices, including local outdoor experiences and hygiene protocols. 

2. Be transparent in your communications

Consider your target audience’s emotional state. You may be speaking to residents itching to get out of the house or industry operators relying on tourism revenue. Alleviate their frustrations by keeping them informed of the latest news in your region and safe travel tips. For example, Destination British Columbia includes consistent messaging about local travel and cancellation policies on its social media channels, pointing visitors to a landing page that houses travel updates. William also suggests humanizing your industry. “Tell the stories of the people behind local tourism businesses, how they are impacted and how they care about their community.” 

Keep your audience’s emotional state in mind when working on your communications strategy . 

3. Prepare your community to host travellers again 

Throughout the pandemic, mistrust of outsiders has become deep-seated in many communities . “Understandably, some people fear that travellers will bring the virus with them, along with unnecessary danger to their vulnerable communities,” says William. To help them overcome trepidation, show your visitors how you’re keeping them safe. For example, the local government in Maine has worked with its tourism industry, public health experts and others to develop the Keep Maine Healthy plan . This effort is aimed at minimizing the risk of spread to the local population. 

Destination British Columbia’s social media messaging focuses on safety.

4. Point to a trusted health information source

Your community may look to your DMO for guidance around safe travel behaviour. But alongside the wealth of health guidelines available, your message may get lost. Keep clarity in mind: identify a single source of truth that your organization adheres to, whether it comes from your state government, local council or public health body. Once you determine your source, consider how you can make the advisories digestible and actionable for travellers. Infographics , videos and dedicated landing pages are useful tactics for communicating safety messages effectively. 

5. Continually assess the situation 

The path to reopening will not be linear. “We’re still dealing with a lot of uncertainty. That means you need to be prepared for a changing situation, good or bad,” says William. There may be a second or a continual wave of infection in many places, and destinations will teeter between stages. Different amenities will open (and possibly close) and varying times. This instability means your DMO needs to prepare for all contingencies using scenario planning and continually sharing relevant updates with your visitor and domestic communities. 

Promoting experiences that will generate income in the short-term but increase infection rates will, in the long run, hinder your destination’s recovery. Keeping safety at the core of your marketing efforts over the next few months will help ensure your destination’s resiliency. It’s also the empathetic, humanitarian approach that today’s world needs most.

Get the support your destination needs during COVID-19

Destination Think helps destination marketers navigate the pandemic through smart strategy and clear communication. Join our COVID-19 initiative to find a world-leading support system for your DMO .

Feature image credit: Stephan Vance via Unsplash  

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İngilizce-Türkçe sözlükte safe 'ın çevirisi

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NOT DANGEROUS

Not in danger.

( Cambridge Yabancılar İçin Sözlük İngilizce-Türkçe 'den safe in çevirisi © Cambridge University Press)

Translation of safe | PASSWORD English–Turkish Dictionary

( PASSWORD English-Turkish Dictionary 'den safe in çevirisi © 2022 K Dictionaries Ltd)

safe örnekleri

Safe in çevirisi.

Hızlı ve ücretsiz çeviri alın!

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• Dil bilgisi ve eş anlamlılar sözlüğü Doğal yazılı ve sözlü İngilizce kullanım açıklamaları Dilbilgisi Eş anlamlılar sözlüğü
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• English–Swedish Swedish–English
• Sözlük Plus Sözcük Listeleri
• safe (NOT DANGEROUS)
• safe (NOT HARMED)
• safe (NOT IN DANGER)
• safe to say
• a safe place; somewhere safe
• PASSWORD English–Turkish    Adjective Noun
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Planning a Trip to Turkey: An 11-Step Checklist

Turkey is one of our favorite countries in the Balkans! Besides Bulgaria, it’s our most-visited country, as between Stephanie and I we have made eight trips to this stunning country over the past decade… starting in 2011 and returning nearly yearly. We can’t help it: the delicious breakfasts, the beautiful mosques, and the friendly locals (both human and feline) keep us coming back time and again.

From epic landscapes to delicious food to incredible history and fantastic urban culture, planning a trip to Turkey can be a bit complicated at times due to visa requirements and certain websites being inaccessible within Turkey… but a headache is entirely avoidable when you use our guide! And trust us, figuring it out is worth it.

Step 1:  Check to See if You Need a Visa

Turkey is neither part of the EU nor the Schengen zone, so if you have a multi-entry Schengen visa it won’t help you out here.

There are 78 visa-exempt countries and territories who can enter Turkey without a visa, as well as 42 countries and territories whose citizens are eligible to apply for an e-Visa online.

Keep in mind, though, that many people with traditionally “strong” passports are not visa-exempt, and actually do have to apply for an e-Visa online. It is not a different visa to get at all, but given that people with strong passport privilege like myself often forget to double-check visa requirements, especially in a country as European and West-facing as Turkey. I had an Irish friend have a bit of a panic when they learned they needed a Turkish visa at the last minute!

Americans, Canadians, British, Irish, Australians are all frequent visitors to Turkey who require an e-visa before flying to Turkey, among many other nationalities, aside from the below-listed countries. If you’re not sure if you require a visa to go to Turkey, check this list of nationalities who require a visa on the Byevisa website (they can also help you out with the application process if you’re overwhelmed).

Countries who DO NOT need a visa

The countries on the list below are allowed to enter Turkey without a visa, using a passport (or ID if marked with an *), for tourism and business purposes (with the exception of the countries listed at the end, which require a visa for business purposes but not tourism). They are allowed to enter up to 90 days per 180-day period, with a maximum of 90 days in a single visit.

Note that as always, your passport must have over 6 months of validity to enter Turkey!

Albania, Andorra, Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France*, Georgia*, Germany*, Greece*, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Iran, Israel, Italy*, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Liechtenstein*, Lithuania, Luxembourg*, Malaysia, Moldova*, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, North Macedonia, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Qatar, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland*, Tajikistan, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Ukraine*, Uruguay, Uzbekistan, Vatican City, Venezuela

Note: Of this list, people from Albania, Jordan, Kosovo, Lebanon, Qatar, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Slovenia are permitted to enter visa-free for tourism only; citizens from these countries require a business visa if entering Turkey for business purposes

Second note: Those marked above with an asterisk (*) can enter with either a national ID card and/or passport.

Russians are allowed to enter visa-free with just their passport for 60 days per visit and up to 90 days per 180-day period. So theoretically, a Russian could spend 60 days on one visit, leave, and return for another 30 days spread out over that 180-day period.

Finally, there’s one more group of people who can travel visa-free, but only for up to 30 days per visit and up to 90 days per 180-day period. So theoretically, they could plan three 30-day trips within a 180 day period, or divide that into any other period and still be covered under this law.

Azerbaijan, Belarus, Brunei, Costa Rica, Latvia, Macao, Mongolia (tourism only), Thailand, and Turkmenistan

There are a few exceptions due to the current geopolitical situations worldwide. They are as follows:

People from Cyprus who reside in Northern Cyprus (Turkish occupied) can enter for 90 days out of 180 visa-free, granted that they arrive from Ercan Airport or seaports in Northern Cyprus.

Libyans who are 12 or under, or 65 or older, may enter for 90 days within 180 days. Anyone between the ages of 13-64 would need a visa.

Palestinians who hold a VIP passport (not sure what that is, to be honest) are also allowed a 90 day stay per every 180 days.

That sums up the nationalities who are allowed to enter Turkey without a visa. Note that many traditionally “strong” passports are not on the above list: the UK, Canada, Ireland, US, and Australia are all missing, because these countries (and others) require an e-visa.

Countries who require an E-Visa

Getting a Turkish e-visa is quite simple, so don’t get intimidated. As an American, it took me about 15 minutes to fill out the form and I heard back almost immediately. It cost me $20 USD for a multi-entry visa that gave me 90 days out of the following 180. Some are free, some cost up to $65 (sorry Canadians!) and others more – your fee will depend on your countries’ agreements.

Here is a list of countries who require an e-visa. Note that those with asterisks can enter with a national ID card and do not necessarily require a passport. Anyone without an asterisk requires a passport. The list below is for 90 days within a 180-day period, but there are exceptions to that below.

Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium* , Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Dominica, Dominican Republic, East Timor, Fiji, Grenada, Haiti, Indonesia, Ireland, Jamaica, Maldives, Malta*, Mauritius, Mexico, Netherlands* , Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal*, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain*, Suriname, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States

People with passports for the following countries can only get a single-entry visa good for 30 days: Armenia, China, Cyprus, East Timor, Fiji, Indonesia, Mauritius, Mexico, Suriname, and Taiwan.

Conditional E-Visas

As if it wasn’t complicated enough, there are also many countries which are eligible for conditional e-visas: either single entry e-Visa received online in advance, or a e-visa on arrival. This would give them a 30 day stay, single entry. These are the conditions:

• Must hold a valid visa or residence permit from one of the following countries: Schengen visa, Ireland, the United Kingdom or the United States. Electronic visas or e-residence permits are not accepted. This does not apply for Egyptian citizens under 20 or over 45, who do not need a visa or permit. Similarly, Algerian citizens must be aged below 18 or over 35 years old to be eligible for e-Visa (otherwise they need a sticker from an embassy).
• Must hold a hotel reservation and adequate financial means (US$50 per day).
• All citizens except for the citizens of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Philippines must travel with one of the airlines that has protocols with Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The following airlines meet the criteria: AtlasGlobal, Onur Air, Pegasus Airlines and Turkish Airlines. Citizens of Egypt may also travel on flights operated by EgyptAir.
• Afghanistan, Iraq, Zambia and Philippines citizens are not eligible for e-visa on arrival at Istanbul airports

And these are the countries eligible, given they’ve fulfilled the above requirements:

Afghanistan, Algeria, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Côte d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, India, Iraq, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Niger, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe

If your country is not listed on this, or if you don’t meet the above requirements, you will need to apply for a visa in a physical embassy (sticker visa).

Step 2. Book Your Tickets

Turkey doesn’t always have the best cheap flight details because Turkish Airlines has a pretty strong hold on the market here. For example, living in Bulgaria, it’s quite expensive for me to fly to Turkey (despite being right next door!) as there are no low-budget airlines operating flights between the two countries. However, Turkey often has fantastic deals from far-away destinations – I once flew direct from San Francisco to Istanbul for under $500 USD roundtrip!

However, that’s not to say you can’t find cheap flights into Turkey. To find the best value for your flights, we suggest  Skyscanner  and  Google Flights . Use Skyscanner’s “Everywhere” feature to check all of the various airports in Istanbul, since there are multiple ones. Google Flights has a nicer interface and updates with the correct prices faster, so there are no disappointments when you click through, unlike Skyscanner.

That said, you can also get to Turkey overland. Stephanie and I have both taken the night train from Sofia to Istanbul (also works Plovdiv to Istanbul) and my boyfriend has taken the bus from Sofia to Istanbul as well. This may be a good option for getting to Turkey, but book at least a day or two in advance as Stephanie once had tickets sell out on her sleeper train! Theoretically you can also get a bus from Athens to Istanbul or Thessaloniki to Istanbul, but I’ve never tried this route.

Step 3. Plan Your Turkey Itinerary

Many people who visit Turkey explore a combination of Istanbul and the mainland. However, there are so many places to visit in Turkey that it would be impossible to give one sample itinerary that would cover all the best options. Here are some things you need to ask yourself when it comes time to plan your trip to Turkey.

• Am I interested in exploring Turkey’s history and seeing ancient sites like the Hierapolis and Ephesus?
• Do I want to spend time in Cappadocia and Pamukkale in the interior?
• Do I want to spend time exploring multiple islands or beaches?
• Do I want to explore one city in-depth?

The answer to these questions will help you figure out how best to divide your time. Stephanie and I have each spent months in Turkey, and we’ve both barely scratched the surface! Don’t feel bad if you can’t see everything you want to on your first trip here. You can always come back!

Here are some good guidelines to keep in mind when planning a Turkey vacation.

If you have four days or less to travel in Turkey, stick to one place. This would be a great amount of time for an initial trip to Istanbul. If you wanted to do a day trip to Bursa or the Princes’ Islands, that would be possible, but a bit rushed.

If you have a week, you can explore two or possibly three places in Turkey. In this case, we’d recommend a trip to Istanbul and Cappadocia. If you’re feeling ambitious, you could go on from Cappadocia to Pamukkale by night bus (it’s safe – I did it solo!) and then fly or bus back to Istanbul from Denizli.

Domestic flights within Turkey can be absurdly cheap – cheaper even then the bus, at times! I flew from Istanbul to Kayseri (near Cappadocia) for $20. So don’t discount flights on Turkish Airlines or Pegasus when it comes time to getting around Turkey. Turkey also has some of the best buses I’ve ever taken in my travels, and they are quite a viable way of getting around.

Finally, don’t discount the coast if you are visiting Turkey in the summer! Fethiye, Bodrum, Antalya, and many offbeat coastal cities and islands are all wonderful places to soak up the sun.

If you are trying to decide where to go in Turkey, we’ve created a guide to help you get ideas: 17 of the Best Places to Visit in Turkey.

If you are combining a trip to Turkey with visits to additional Balkan countries, you’ll want to check out these Balkan travel resources. We think Bulgaria or Greece is the best country to combine with Turkey, personally, though we tend towards Bulgaria as we’re a bit biased!

• These are the 12 Balkan Countries Plus the Top Reason to Visit Each One
• The 10 Balkan Itinerary Commandments
• 41 Balkan Travel Tips
• Balkan Bus Trips: 10 Things You Must Know Before Your Ride

Step 4. Plan Your Activities

After you decide where you’re going to go, you’ll want to decide which activities to enjoy. In Istanbul, the city is so large that we actually advise against picking day trips unless you really want to get out and see the Princes’ Islands or something else you can get to by boat, like Bursa, since getting out of Istanbul by car or bus is such an ordeal! We’d recommend booking things like Bosphorus cruises, food tours, walking tours, and cultural events. Here are our top 3 tour/activity recommendations for Istanbul.

Taste of Two Continents Food Tour

Easily the most delicious thing you’ll do in Istanbul all weekend, we highly recommend a food tour as a way of getting to know Istanbul better. Turkish food is one of the best cuisines out there, and this tour will give you a tasty introduction to it.

This food tour covers several neighborhoods and two continents over the course of five hours, so wear your best walking shoes (and stretchiest pants)! You’ll sample lots of different small tastes, travel by tram and ferry, and enjoy a full meal consisting of an appetizer, main course, and dessert. To cap that all off, you’ll enjoy four drinks over the course of the evening, plus a nargile (aka shisha) to cap off the night.

People love this tour! Check out prices, availability, and reviews of this 5 star rated tour here!

Bosphorus Cruise

A Bosphorus cruise is an essential way to explore the best of Istanbul. One of the world’s most important rivers, the Bosphorus connects the Marmara Sea with the Black Sea and provided the foundation for centuries of empires.

A sightseeing cruise up the Bosphorus is extremely relaxing and a great way to rest your feet while you still take in the beauty of Istanbul and its history, learning about the gorgeous palaces, bridges, fortresses, towers, and buildings which flank the river banks. This ultra-affordable 90-minute tour is a can’t-miss addition to your Istanbul city break itinerary.

»»  Book your Bosphorus river cruise today!  ««

Landmark Highlights Day Tour

If you prefer to have a little guidance during your trip to Istanbul, we recommend spending one day doing a guided tour which will explain the history of Sultanahmet’s most important sites: Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, the Hippodrome, and the Grand Bazaar.

While you can certainly visit all these sights independently, visiting with a tour will give you essential historical context, allow you to skip the lines, and hop around from site to site in an organized, logical fashion that doesn’t waste any time.

»»  Book your Bosphorus river cruise today!  ««

If you’re going to be on the coast or islands, you will want to look into boating activities, water sports, and walking tours.

We generally use and recommend GetYourGuide for booking tours in Turkey and the Balkans.  We like that they have a best price guarantee and that they tell you the name of the tour companies they partner with (unlike Viator), so you can research it and be sure it’s worth your money!

If you are traveling between April and September, you will want to make sure your tours and activities are booked in advance since Turkey is a hot tourist destination. I have traveled to Turkey in the shoulder season (early April and October), and I still found that my tours were full or almost-full. However, if you visit Istanbul in winter , you likely won’t have to worry about that.

Step 5. Budget Your Trip

Once you know where you want to go and how long you have, you can put together your trip budget.

Thanks to a depressed Turkish lira, Turkey is a great budget-friendly destination compared to much of Europe. However, if you’re traveling through the rest of the Balkans first, especially places like Albania and Macedonia, prices will seem a bit higher. Personally, I find it on par with places like Greece and Montenegro, but not as expensive as Croatia or Slovenia.

Even in cities like Istanbul and touristy destinations like Cappadocia, there are budget options available. We personally choose to stay in private rooms in hostels or AirBnB apartments over hostel dorms, but there are dorm beds available basically everywhere to help you save money.

You can travel through Turkey on $30-40 USD per day by staying in dorms, eating cheap streets foods, minimizing alcohol (which is pricy in Turkey), and paring down your activities and travel between places.

When I travel through Turkey, I typically spend closer to $50-60 USD per day and enjoy that Turkey offers some true bargains in this price range, especially when it comes to accommodations.

For someone wanting the best of everything, like fancy hotels, fine dining, and the best activities, you’ll find that this will cost much less than a similarly luxurious trip in Spain, France, or Italy. So if you want to have a seriously bougie time somewhere, Turkey is a great value.

Good ways to cut down costs without sacrificing quality is to travel with someone so that you can split costs, enjoy your nicer meals at lunch when there are specials, and to weigh the cost of flying vs. buses as sometimes flying can be cheaper (pro tip: it helps to use incognito mode and search in the local currency, the lira!)

Step 6. Book Your Accommodations

Once you’ve decided out what you want to spend per night on accommodations, it’s time to get booking! Please, read this carefully as you can run into problems with your trip!

We use  Booking.com because we like that they have free cancellation if you end up changing your plans. HOWEVER , Booking.com does not work once you’re inside Turkey unless you are using a VPN (Wikipedia doesn’t either, so say goodbye to fun facts on the go!). You can definitely pre-book your trips on Booking and access your information about your trip while you’re there, but if you search, the inventory will look to be 0. This freaked me out a lot when I was making a last minute plan to stay in Pamukkale after Cappadocia and there was no inventory available! I was able to work around it by using Hostelworld instead.

Still, we recommend Booking.com: it has the widest selection of types of accommodations, from guest houses to hostels to luxury hotels to apartments (without the Airbnb service and cleaning fees that can add up). One great way to keep accommodation costs down is to stay somewhere nice at one destination, and then pick a budget hotel at your next destination.

We have guides on where to stay in Istanbul as well as the best cave hotels in Cappadocia , so if you want to book, you have our recommendations at your fingertips (literally)! Just be sure to book before arriving in Turkey.

Step 7. Research Any Vaccinations You May Need

Turkey has a lot of stray animals, particularly cats. I mean, there is even a whole documentary about Istanbul street kitties! They are generally very friendly and well-behaved, taken care of by local business owners and families. Since we can’t help ourselves, visiting Turkey is basically like visiting one giant petting zoo of friendly kitties.

Be cautious and only touch kitties who approach you first. Or don’t at all, but I think that may be actually biologically impossible. I actually got bit by a cat in Ukraine and had to undergo five rabies shots – it’s not something I recommend, but it also hasn’t stopped my cat-head-scratching habit yet. I’m unstoppable, what can I say?

If you do get bitten by an animal in Turkey, go to the doctor immediately (within 48 hours, the sooner the better!) so they can assess the risk. Rabies does exist in Turkey, but I don’t recommend getting pre-exposure shots as they are 1) expensive, 2) often unnecessary, and 3) don’t even mean you won’t have to get post-exposure shots since you’ll still need to do more shots after a bite.

Here’s what the CDC recommends regarding vaccinations:

Make sure you are up-to-date on routine vaccines before every trip. These vaccines include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot.

They also recommend most travelers get Hepatitis A and Typhoid vaccinations, as there is some risk of contamination. And if you’re in Turkey for a medical procedure or plan to get a tattoo (or indulge in any risky sexual or drug-related behaviors), you should also consider getting a Hepatitis B vaccine.

Step 8: Learn a Few Common Turkish Words and Brush Up on the Turkish Alphabet Pronunciation

One thing that a lot of travelers from North America and Western Europe overlook is that Turkey uses a slightly different alphabet that looks like Latin but has a few unique letters. This means that pronunciation can be a bit difficult.

Check out this guide to Turkish pronunciation , which you should find quite helpful.

Most tourism professionals and people in the service industry speak amazing English, and it’s getting better every year. My first visit to Turkey in the winter of 2012 was a challenge; every year since, it’s gotten far easier to communicate with locals and tourism professionals.

Still, it’s kind to learn some Turkish (and it will definitely win you some fans and perhaps some free rakı). Here are the Turkish phrases we recommend you have handy for your trip to Turkey:

Hello = Merhaba

Good morning = Günaydın

Good afternoon = Tünaydın

How are you? = Nasılsın?

Goodbye = Güle güle

Please = Lütfen

Thank You  = Teşekkür ederim

Excuse Me = İzninizle / Pardon

Cheers = Şerefe!

Yes  = Evet

No  = Hayır

I Don’t Understand  = Anlamadım

Do You Speak English?  = İngilizce biliyor musunuz?

Remember that some of these words have tricky letters, like ı which sounds more like “uh!” (i.e. it’s rak-uh, not rak-ee!) We always recommend a good translator app, like Google Translate, just in case!

Step 9. Pack Your Bags

We are in the process of creating packing lists to help you know what to pack for Turkey, but until then, here are some items you don’t want to leave home without:

• A Lonely Planet guidebook, to help you plan when on the ground
• An unlocked smartphone, so you can buy a cheap SIM card and use apps like Uber and Google Maps
• An extra swimsuit so you can enjoy Turkey’s hammams and beaches without having to put a wet one back on.
• Motion sickness pills for windy roads, Istanbul traffic, ferries, hot air balloon sides, etc.
• Sunscreen (if you’re bringing checked luggage). Sunscreen and other cosmetics can be expensive in Turkey compared to back home.

Step 10. Prepare For Your Arrival

Since there’s no universal way to arrive to Istanbul, you’ll want to do some prep work beforehand to make sure you know how you’ll get from the airport, ferry station, or bus station to your hotel.

Flying into Istanbul

This is the most common way for visitors to arrive in Istanbul. There are two: Sabiha Gokcen International Airport and Istanbul New Airport (which is so new I’ve never taken it, as it just started running flights in April 2019!) Flights to Ataturk are no longer running. Anything with the airport code IST is going to the new airport.

We recommend using Uber to get an affordable taxi into the city rather than relying on cab drivers as it can be a crapshoot as to whether you’ll get an honest one. A taxi would cost about 105-135 lira, not counting traffic (about $18-23), and I’d imagine an Uber would be a bit less.

You can take Havaist, a shuttle service operating between the new Istanbul airport and central Istanbul. A ride costs 18 lira, about $3 USD. These will go to Taksim, Beşiktaş, and Sultanahmet as well as other destinations. The ride takes about 90 minutes to 2 hours (Istanbul traffic is relentless), but there’s WiFi, chargers, and movies on board to keep you entertained.

We have a complete guide to getting into Istanbul overland from Sofia here , so read this guide if you plan to take the bus or train.

If you fly into Sabiha Gokcen, I recommend the Havabus shuttle to Taksim, which costs 18 lira ($3 USD) and takes about 90 minutes. You can then take a taxi to your final destination if it’s not within walking distance of Taksim. Alternately, you can Uber or pay for a cab.

Flying into Other Airports

I’ve also flown into Kayseri and took a shared shuttle organized by my Cappadocia cave hotel. It was inexpensive and easy!

I’ve also flown out of Bodrum, but I flew too early in the morning to take public transportation and had to take a pricy cab that cost more than the airplane ticket itself! Though, to be fair, I only paid like $20 USD for the plane ticket.

Keep in mind that with early and late departures, you may be forced into taking an expensive cab, and that can add onto your final transportation bill!

Before You Leave the Airport

You’ll want to have some Turkish lira on you for your taxi or to get on a bus. You can take them out at the ATMs in the airports for the best exchange rates. Just make sure you don’t have big ATM withdrawal fees from your bank (Americans, we recommend Schwab!). Some banks require a travel notice, and others will still put fraud blocks on cards making purchases outside of their home country.

Tell your bank when and where you’ll be traveling to avoid this. They may still put a block on your card at some point (mine frequently does). To rectify this, you’ll need to call them or respond to an email if they send one. This is one reason its good to always travel with multiple cards attached to different accounts. I always travel with two credit cards and two debit cards if possible.

Note that many places in Turkey take Visa and Mastercard (AmEx and Discover, so much). You’ll still need some cash to be able to travel through Turkey smoothly, especially if you want to shop!

Step 11: Don’t Forget Travel Insurance!

We put this last so it’s fresh on your mind:  travel insurance is essential for Turkey and for travel in general! Allison and I have both been paying customers of World Nomads  for the last two years.

We love the peace of mind it gives us in case of emergencies, accidents, illnesses, theft, or trip cancellation or disruption. While we think Turkey is just about as safe to travel as anywhere else in Europe, it has a slightly higher risk of political unrest or terrorism. While it shouldn’t dissuade you from going to Turkey (I mean… we’ve never let it stop us, and we never will!) it is better safe than sorry.

While Turkey is perfectly safe to travel around, there’s always risk inherent in everyday travel, from theft to accidents to trip cancellations, so it’s better to play it safe. The saying goes “if you can’t afford travel insurance, you can’t afford to travel,” and we believe it’s true!

Get a travel insurance quote for your trip here.

Originally from California, Allison has been living in Bulgaria for the last two years and is obsessed with traveling around the Balkans. She has been published in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, Matador Network, and the Huffington Post. She loves befriending dogs, drinking coffee, geeking out about wine, and cooking food from around the world.

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Medical freedom vs. public health: Should fluoride be in our drinking water?

The culture wars have a new target: your teeth. 

Communities across the U.S. are ending public water fluoridation programs , often spurred by groups that insist that people should decide whether they want the mineral — long proven to fight cavities — added to their water supplies. 

The push to flush it from water systems seems to be increasingly fueled by pandemic-related mistrust of government oversteps and misleading claims, experts say, that fluoride is harmful.

“The anti-fluoridation movement gained steam with Covid,” said Dr. Meg Lochary, a pediatric dentist in Union County, North Carolina. “We’ve seen an increase of people who either don’t want fluoride or are skeptical about it.”

There should be no question about the dental benefits of fluoride, Lochary and other experts say. Major public health groups, including the American Dental Association , the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , support the use of fluoridated water. All cite studies that show it reduces tooth decay by 25%. 

“Drinking fluoridated water keeps teeth strong and reduces cavities,” the CDC said in a statement to NBC News. 

Still, the resistance to fluoride has been building for decades. More recently, the sticking point is about control.

It wasn’t “whether fluoride was good or bad,” said Brian Helms, a Union County commissioner who voted against adding fluoride to the local water supply in February. “The real deciding factor for my vote was a matter of consent.” He and others were swayed by people like Abigail Prado, the chair of a right-wing group called Moms For Liberty, who questioned the addition of fluoride in public water systems at Union County hearings on the issue.

“It’s the only treatment that the government just mass issues to its citizens,” Prado said in an interview. “That’s not right.” 

Union County, just south of Charlotte, is just the latest community to reject fluoridated water. Since 2010, more than 150 towns or counties throughout the country have voted to keep fluoride out of public water systems or to stop adding it, according to the Fluoride Action Network, an anti-fluoride group. 

Lawmakers in Georgia, Kentucky and Nebraska have filed bills that would end fluoride mandates in some of their larger communities. Within the past few months, local leaders in Collier County, Florida, and Amery, Wisconsin, voted to stop adding fluoride to public water systems. Last year, lawmakers in State College, Pennsylvania, and Brushy Creek, Texas, did the same.

A federal judge in California is considering whether health officials should stop adding fluoride to drinking water. There have been more than 100 lawsuits over the years trying to get rid of fluoride, without success, according to the American Fluoridation Society, an advocacy group. 

The anti-fluoride movement is troubling to doctors who treat children and others vulnerable to tooth decay.

“Community water fluoridation was revolutionary in terms of how it improved the oral health and dental health in our country,” said Dr. Charlotte Lewis, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine, with the “most dramatic effect in those populations that are lower-income and have less access to dental care.”

“I think we’re going to take big steps backwards,” she said.

How does fluoride work? How did it become the ‘bad guy’?

Bacteria in the mouth make acid, which weakens teeth and leads to decay. Fluoride counters that process in two ways: It reduces the amount of cavity-causing acids in saliva and strengthens enamel, the tooth’s protective outer layer.  

Applying fluoride directly to the teeth through toothpaste or rinses is important, but Lochary said small amounts circulating in the body are critical for young kids who still have their baby teeth. 

“Prior to the age of 6, you need to have some fluoride that you swallow so that it can get into the developing permanent teeth,” she said. “That’s the most important time for systemic fluoride.” 

It was in the early 1900s that experts first suspected something in the environment was affecting teeth. A dentist who moved from the East Coast to Colorado Springs, Colorado, noticed that people born in the area had dental anomalies he’d never seen before: teeth that were stained with dark brown spots but highly resistant to decay. 

Experts eventually discovered that the water in Colorado Springs had unusually high levels of fluoride — up to 12 milligrams per liter. Fluoride is a mineral found naturally in rocks, which then leaches into soil, rivers and lakes.

Grand Rapids, Michigan, became the first community in the world to add fluoride to its water supply in 1945. Within a decade, cavities among young children in the town had plummeted by 60% . 

Despite the dramatic reduction in cavities in kids, the Grand Rapids program was mishandled from the beginning. Residents weren’t immediately told that fluoride had been added to their water supply, leading to distrust in local lawmakers and their ability to make appropriate decisions about additives in the water. That triggered a pushback against fluoride in drinking water that has continued.

In 2015, the U.S. Public Health Service, under the Department of Health and Human Services, set the optimal level of fluoride in water at 0.7 milligrams per liter — a level that, after decades of real-world use, experts said, would help protect teeth without staining them.

As of this year, nearly two-thirds of the U.S. population with public water access use drinking water with fluoride, according to the CDC. 

A dramatic difference 

The positive impact of fluoride on kids’ teeth is easy to see, said Dr. Frank Courts, a pediatric dentist who has had offices in Ashe County, a rural community in Western North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, and in Nash County, a rural area east of Raleigh.

“The difference between the level of tooth decay in children is dramatic,” he said. 

His very young patients in Nash County tend to have fewer and smaller cavities. In Ashe County, children are significantly more likely to have permanent teeth so badly decayed that they have to be pulled before middle school, he said.

“Kids in high school have black front teeth,” Courts said of his practice in the western mountain region. “We see many young adults that have all their teeth already extracted and are wearing dentures in their 20s.”

Just over 10% of kindergartners in Nash County, which has added fluoride, had been treated for tooth decay in 2022-2023, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services . That percentage swelled to more than 44% in Ashe County, whose residents largely rely on nonfluoridated well and spring water. Both counties have similar income levels and rates of poverty. What explains the difference, Courts said, is that Nash County adds fluoride to its water supply. Ashe County doesn’t.

Even though Medicaid covers oral health for children, only 50% receive those services, said Dr. Julie Morita, executive vice president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

“People who don’t have access to dental care benefit even more from fluoridated water,” she said. “If they didn’t get fluoridated water, they’d be more likely to get cavities.”

The science behind fluoride

The fluoride issue goes well beyond medical freedom. The latest tactic used by anti-fluoride activists mirrors that of anti-vaccine groups: strike fear in the hearts of moms and dads.

Similar to the anti-vaccine movement, which has focused on disgraced research associating the mumps, measles and rubella shots with autism , groups opposed to fluoride tend to rely on one study that suggests the mineral is a neurotoxin that lowers children’s level of intelligence. 

A 2019 study, published in a well-respected journal, JAMA Pediatrics , found that IQ levels were slightly lower in 3- and 4-year-old children whose mothers had higher measures of fluoride in their urine when they were pregnant. Researchers concluded that pregnant women may want to avoid fluoride.

“We have a possible risk,” an author of the study, Dr. Bruce Lanphear, a professor of health sciences at Simon Fraser University in Canada, said in an interview. “It’s absolutely time for us to hit pause on this strategy.”

Lanphear stopped short of saying fluoride should be pulled from water supplies, and he said more research is needed. No other studies have shown similar findings. 

Even though a direct link has never been proven, the damage has been done, said Dr. Charlotte Lewis, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

“It doesn’t matter how much you try to dispel that,” Lewis said. “The onus is on us to continue to get that information out there. It’s a battle just like it’s a battle with the anti-vax folks.”

Dr. Donald Chi, a pediatric dentist at Seattle Children’s Hospital, said he has had to rethink how he talks with parents concerned about fluoride. The conversation starts not with data, but with empathy.

“There’s a lot of disinformation out there that preys on the vulnerability of parents,” Chi said. “People don’t want information. They just want to talk through it and process it.”

Richard Carpiano, a public health scientist at the University of California, Riverside, said, “This is an unintended consequence of parents being good parents.” 

Should pregnant women avoid fluoride?

The American College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians recommends that pregnant women use fluoridated toothpaste and mouth rinses to maintain their oral health, but it doesn’t take a position on fluoridated water.

Dr. Nathaniel DeNicola, an OB/GYN in private practice in Yorba Linda, California, hosts a podcast about possible effects of environmental toxins on pregnancy health. 

Microplastics, pesticides and air pollution are some examples. Fluoride isn’t.

“To be honest, fluoride doesn’t really rise to much attention when I’m counseling patients about things to be worried about in their drinking water,” DeNicola said. “Fluoride doesn’t fit in one of those categories we’re worried about.” 

Searching for solid evidence

The fluoride opposition argues there has never been a double-blinded, randomized, controlled clinical trial — the gold standard of scientific research — looking at the effects of fluoride on children. Researchers at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, are recruiting 200 children under 6 months old to use either fluoridated or nonfluoridated bottled water in their formula and drinking water. Neither the researchers nor the families will know which kind of water will be given.

“I took that as a particular challenge,” said Gary Slade, a professor of dentistry at the Adams School of Dentistry at UNC-Chapel Hill.

The plan is to follow the children for four years to see how their teeth are developing. While the study isn’t funded to include a look at the kids’ IQ levels, it’s possible the study will expand, Slade said. 

“It is a perfect situation to look at the IQ of those children when they turn 4,” Slade said. “We’d still have time to add on that component to this study.”

Lochary said she regularly works to alleviate concerns among families who have heard that fluoride may be detrimental to kids.

“We get people who don’t want fluoride, and their kids will come in with a mouth full of decay. Then they won’t want us to do any treatment,” Lochary said. “I’m like, ‘Listen, dental infections can be very dangerous. You can end up in the hospital.’”

Erika Edwards is a health and medical news writer and reporter for NBC News and "TODAY."

Jason Kane is a producer in the NBC News Health & Medical Unit. 

Erin McLaughlin is an NBC News correspondent.