tourist problems in turkey

Update April 12, 2024

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Turkey Travel Advisory

Travel advisory july 26, 2023, turkey - level 2: exercise increased caution.

Reissued with obsolete COVID-19 page links removed.

Exercise increased caution when traveling to Turkey due to terrorism and arbitrary detentions. Some areas have increased risk. Read the entire Travel Advisory.

Do Not Travel To:

• Sirnak province, Hakkari province, and any area within six miles (10 kilometers) of the Syrian border due to terrorism.

Country Summary:  Terrorist groups continue plotting possible attacks in Turkey.  Terrorists may attack with little or no warning, targeting tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, local government facilities, hotels, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, parks, major sporting and cultural events, educational institutions, airports, and other public areas.

Security forces have detained tens of thousands of individuals, including U.S. citizens, for alleged affiliations with terrorist organizations based on scant or secret evidence and grounds that appear to be politically motivated.  U.S. citizens have also been subject to travel bans that prevent them from departing Turkey. Participation in demonstrations not explicitly approved by the Government of Turkey, as well as criticism of the government (including on social media), can result in arrest.

Read the  country information page  for additional information on travel to Turkey.

If you decide to travel to Turkey:

• Stay alert in locations frequented by tourists.
• Avoid demonstrations and crowds.
• Stay at hotels with identifiable security measures.
• Monitor local media and be prepared to adjust your plans quickly.
• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  ( STEP ) to receive travel alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter .
• Review the  Country Security Report for Turkey.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest  Travel Health Information  related to your travel. 
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .

Sirnak Province, Hakkari Province, and Any Area within six miles (ten kilometers) of the Syrian Border – Level 4:  Do Not Travel

Do not travel to Sirnak province, Hakkari province, or any area within six miles (10 kilometers) of the Turkey/Syria border due to the continued threat of attacks by terrorist groups, armed conflict, and civil unrest.  Terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings, ambushes, car bomb detonations, and improvised explosive devices, as well as shootings, and illegal roadblocks leading to violence have occurred in these areas. U.S. government employees are subject to travel restrictions in the entire provinces of Sirnak and Hakkari, and any areas within 10 km of the Syrian border.

Visit our website for  Travel to High-Risk Areas .

Travel Advisory Levels

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Photos Reveal Turkey’s Lonely Landscapes

A photographer documents the country's changing tourism industry.

Turkey ’s Cappadocia is known for whimsical images of flocks of hot air balloons rising over a landscape—a scene that looks as though it would be at home in a Salvador Dalí painting.

But when Australian photographer Patricia Sofra made her way to the longstanding tourism hub and UNESCO World Heritage site in central Turkey in September 2017, she found a lonelier picture than she envisioned: A single balloon hanging over a swirling landscape of ridges and gullies below.

While deflating, a balloon's pastel fabric mimics the chimneys dotting the landscape of Cappadocia.

“It was completely deserted when I went, because tourism had just come to a complete standstill,” Sofra says. “I thought the sky would be full of balloons, and it turned out we were the only balloon up there.” She remembers the surreal moment as they glided through the air—the tour group members began taking selfies, and the guide looked down at the nearly empty sky and began to cry.

Tourism Troubles

Turkey’s tourism industry has recently been bouncing back after a major drop-off two years ago spurred by security and political concerns. The falling Turkish lira has helped the recovery, making the country an increasingly attractive destination to budget-conscious tourists and as a shopping destination . But it remains to be seen if the recovery will continue or if ongoing domestic political issues and turmoil in the region will deal the country and its tourism industry another blow.

Sofra, like many prospective Western tourists in recent years, had been simultaneously drawn to the country—with its rich culture and unique natural landscapes—and unsure about safety.

In the end, she decided to book a spot on a hop-on hop-off tourist bus traveling through southern Turkey and to Cappadocia. She shared the small bus with three other solo female travelers, the driver, and a chaperone.

• Nat Geo Expeditions

“Traveling through the blue waters of Fethiye, to the tree houses of Olympos, and onto the mountains of Cappadocia via empty side roads, citrus trees, gas stations and dusty fruit stalls, it was quite evident along the way we were the only bus in sight,” she wrote in her travel journal.

Local families enjoy the calming waters of Fethiye in southwestern Turkey.

Tourists now visit the beaches of Fethiye on Turkey's Turquoise Coast.

"If you'd like to find out more about Turkey, let me start with my necklace," begins this visitor on Olympos Beach.

Tourism in Turkey took a nosedive beginning in late 2015, in the wake of a series of terrorist attacks in the country, including one in June 2016 targeting Ataturk Airport and another early on New Year’s Day 2017 at a popular nightclub in Istanbul. A failed coup attempt in July 2016 also led to a wide-ranging government crackdown on opponents of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and an ongoing political tightening.

A political dispute with Russia —traditionally one of the major sources of foreign tourists to Turkey—broke out in late 2015 after Turkish fighter jets shot down a Russian war plane near the Syrian border. Russia slapped Turkey with sanctions and a travel ban as a result , further cutting into visitor numbers.

On the Rebound?

According to Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism , the total number of foreign visitors entering Turkey plummeted from 36.2 million in 2015 to 25.4 million in 2016—a drop of 30 percent. Tourism from the United States fell more than 40 percent from 2015 to 2017, according to the New York Times , which notes a particular reluctance among Western travelers. But now, after a period of relative calm, tourists are returning. In 2017, the number of foreign visitors had rebounded to 32.4 million, with increased popularity among tourists from Russia, Asia and the Middle East.

The Association of Turkish Travel Agencies predicted earlier this year that the number would climb to 40 million in 2018, bringing $30 billion in revenue, according to the state-run Andolu Agency .

A bus driver and guides speak about their fears of unemployment while watching balloons rise.

The latest statistics from July 2018 showed numbers reaching or exceeding pre-crisis levels. In that month, 5.6 million foreign visitors entered the country, compared to 3.5 million in the same month in 2016. In 2015, the number was 5.5 million. The largest share of foreign tourists came from Russia, followed by Germany and the United Kingdom . The Association of British Travel Agents listed the country as one of the trending destinations for British tourists in 2018.

As for Sofra, she said she carried back with her a new love for the Turkish people.

In her travel journal, she wrote that she would remember “the delicateness and the passion for family and friends, the simplicity of their wholesome cuisine, the peaceful mornings and nights watching the golden sun, the hard work ethic with no complaints, the electricity released as they danced to any music at any time, even without an audience.”

A bird's-eye view shows a single balloon hovering over the marble landscape of Cappadocia.

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• WORLD HERITAGE SITES
• CULTURAL TOURISM

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‘Now in shambles’: Turkey’s tourism revival fades on Russian war

The projected low number of Russian tourists is a major cause of concern for Turkey’s vital sector amid ongoing economic crises.

Istanbul, Turkey – Despite many Russian dissidents and young professionals arriving in Turkey following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the ongoing war is expected to result in a massive decline in the number of Russian tourists coming here this year.

Association of Tour Operators of Russia Executive Director Maya Lomidze told the Dunya newspaper earlier this month while it could not give an estimate of the number of Russians that will visit Turkey in 2022, two million would be considered a good figure. That would mark a sharp decline compared with 2021, when 4.7 million Russians entered Turkey.

Keep reading

‘unacceptable provocation’: greece-turkey spar over airspace, turkey keeps interest rates unchanged despite surging inflation, cryptomania is alive and well in turkey, thanks to lira woes, just how bad is inflation in turkey it depends on who you ask.

Reports from earlier this year declared that Russians saved Turkey’s tourism industry in 2021 after it was trying to rebound from the first year of the coronavirus pandemic. Russians ranked atop the list of nationalities that travelled to Turkey between January and November last year.

Particularly popular among tourists from Russia are resort towns in and around the province of Antalya on the Mediterranean coast. During the same period, 37 percent of all foreign visitors entered Turkey via Antalya compared with 34 percent who arrived in Istanbul.

Volkan Yorulmaz, chairman of Antalya’s Kemer Promotion Foundation, told the Haberler news site the anticipated figures would pose a problem for the area’s tourism sector.

Yorulmaz said two million Russian tourists would not be enough given as of late last year, it forecast six million Russians vacationing in Turkey throughout 2022.

Tourist facilities ‘belly-up’

Economists say the revised estimates may be too high.

“First, even two million Russia tourists could be too optimistic given the massive decline in Russian spending power and mounting difficulties for Russians accessing credit cards,” Attila Yesilada, an analyst at Global Source Partners, told Al Jazeera.

“My calculation is assuming zero Ukrainian tourists and a small number of Russians could cost Turkey $3-4bn in tourism revenues.”

“The employment and value-added losses will be significant. That is, each tourist generates roughly three temporary jobs and each tourism dollar generates up to $2.50 worth of revenue for industries supplying tourist resorts. Finally, after two poor seasons, numerous tourist facilities catering mostly to Ukrainian and Russian tourists could go belly up, defaulting on their outstanding bank loans. I can’t estimate the magnitude of this particular problem,” Yesilada added.

In 2019, prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, seven million Russians visited Turkey, while 1.5 million Ukrainians travelled to the country that year. As one of the most visited countries in the world, Turkey’s economy relies on its robust tourism sector.

Soaring inflation, struggling lira

Masha is a Russian citizen who has called Istanbul home for years. One side of her family lives in Ukraine, the other in Russia, where she is now afraid to visit because of the political atmosphere . The pandemic made reunions difficult while the current situation has only made matters worse.

“Last year my entire Russian side of the family came to Turkey and we met in [the Antalya resort town of] Kaş and we rented a villa. There were 10 of us and we didn’t want to stay in a hotel because of the pandemic,” Masha told Al Jazeera.

This year, the family intended on meeting in Russia but plans were shelved because of the war .

“I was on the phone with my uncle talking about the options for this summer and Turkey is one of the only viable options again. It’s basically the only place we can meet but it’s complicated because the flights are insanely expensive, like four times more expensive than they were last year. And financially my family in Russia is not in the best position right now,” Masha said, adding other family travel plans to Turkey had also been disrupted.

Meanwhile, the tourism slump and resulting losses of billions of dollars in revenue are slated to affect the Turkish economy significantly even after the season comes to an end, spelling more bad news amid soaring inflation and a floundering Turkish lira.

“The government planned to fix the exchange rate until the summer via administrative measures, like the foreign exchange-protected lira deposit scheme and the 40 percent surrender requirement for exporters. By summer, buoyant tourism revenues and declining energy prices would have increased the supply of dollars, allowing the lira to gain a firmer footing for the rest of the year,” Yesilada said.

“This plan is now in shambles. I calculate that Ankara needs to find up to $20bn of external funding to defend the lira for the rest of the year. If this sum can’t be secured, currency restrictions are a significant possibility.”

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Please note you do not have access to teaching notes, impact of crises on the tourism industry: evidence from turkey.

Pandemics and Travel

ISBN : 978-1-80071-071-9 , eISBN : 978-1-80071-070-2

Publication date: 3 September 2021

Tourism, as a leading source of income for many countries, is one of the world's fastest-growing industries. Tourism demand is strongly influenced by the economic situation of the consumer, as well as by the political, environmental, security and health conditions provided by the host country. As tourism is not one of the first steps in Maslow's hierarchy of needs, it is not part of the mandatory spending group. Holiday plans are among the first to be altered or cancelled if there is a threat to the tourist's ‘biological and physiological needs’ or ‘security needs’. Thus, the tourism sector is highly susceptible to crises. Turkey tourism movement has faced several major national and global shocks of different origins recently. This study aims to examine the impact of crucial crises and of the current COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism industry in terms of their characteristics, social conflicts, political situation and responses. To achieve this objective, the development of the tourism sector in Turkey has been analyzed taking into account the conditions of the world economies. Comparisons were made between overall figures for incoming tourists, tourism revenues and hotel occupancy rates in Turkey for the time periods before, during and after these crises, considering certain other effects. The figures are related to significant incidents, economic, political, health, social or environmental crises that have occurred at the national or global level.

• COVID-19 pandemic
• Tourism industry
• National crises
• Global crises

Çınar, K. and Şener, G. (2021), "Impact of Crises on the Tourism Industry: Evidence from Turkey", Seabra, C. , Paiva, O. , Silva, C. and Abrantes, J.L. (Ed.) Pandemics and Travel ( Tourism Security-Safety and Post Conflict Destinations ), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 29-47. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80071-070-220211003

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“Future is in Tourism” has invested US$2 million in Turkey over 15 years

April 22, 2022.

Programme shifts focus to Muğla region to promote sustainable tourism

19 April 2022, İstanbul – After 15 years of pioneering work and US$2 million invested in promoting sustainable tourism in Turkey, the “Future is in Tourism” programme announced today that its focus for 2022 would be Muğla province, one of the Turkish regions hardest hit by last year’s forest fires. The venerable programme, the first in Turkey to focus on sustainable tourism, is implemented by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Anadolu Efes.

As in past iterations of the programme, the new activities in Muğla will promote community-based initiatives, “sustainable tourism” models, women’s entrepreneurship and local job creation. The project will develop five new alternative tourism routes; provide mentoring and other support to at least 50 women-led tourist businesses; and train 500 people in Muğla region in sustainable tourism. Local tourism companies that complete the training will receive a recommendation certificate.

Recognizing the heightened threat to tourism posed by climate-driven disasters, the project will also conduct awareness raising activities on forest-fire risks for local residents and install water tanks at high-risk locations in the region to support quick reaction to forest fires.

“We started this programme in 2007 to diversify tourism in Turkey away from simple ‘sea-sand-sun’ models to an environmentally sustainable approach that benefits local communities over 12 months and four seasons,” said Can Çaka, Group Head and CEO of Anadolu Efes Beer. “Over 15 years, we have developed successful alternatives together with UNDP and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Starting from this year, we’ll be in Muğla, which is extremely important in terms of domestic and foreign tourism. As Anadolu Efes, we stood by the people of the region during the forest fires last year. Now we take responsibility for the social and economic rehabilitation process of Muğla. In the new period, our efforts will contribute to the development of people, particularly women, and protection of natural and cultural heritage.”

“Tourism is a crucial economic sector for Turkey,” said UNDP Resident Representative Louisa Vinton, “but it also puts a heavy burden on our delicate natural environment. Our efforts aim to develop models of tourism that generate income and jobs while protecting nature. In this respect, we see our partnership with Anadolu Efes and the Ministry of Culture and Tourism as a model of the public-private partnerships that will be vital for future green growth in Turkey.”

“One of the Ministry’s responsibilities is to identify ways to diversify tourism activities extend tourism to 12 months and increase tourism income,” said Şennur Aldemir Doğan, Deputy General Manager of Directorate General of Investments and Enterprises at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. “In this context, the ‘Future is in Tourism’ reflects a strong partnership structure through which we have be able to support sustainable tourism initiatives in different regions of Turkey for 15 years.  In the new period, based on the experiences we aim to support local people and small businesses to generate income from tourism by improving the existing potential in Muğla, one of the important tourism destinations in Turkey.”

Since 2007, the “Future is in Tourism” programme has engaged 200,000 people in 19 different projects and cooperated with 600 NGOs and 23 universities. The results of the programme include new employment opportunities for 500 women. Grants awarded under the programme – for example, for the “Lavender Scented Village” in Kuyucak or the “Kars Cheese Route” – have shown remarkable success in attracting new visitors and improving local livelihoods by highlighting distinctive local products, scenic landmarks and indigenous flora and fauna.

For more information : 

Özlem Bulut,   Zarakol İletişim – 0212 217 29 99- 0543 824 24 13 - [email protected]

Deniz Şilliler Tapan, UNDP Turkey, [email protected]

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Sirnak (city)

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Hakkari province

FCDO advises against all but essential travel to Hakkari province.

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Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Travel and tourism in Turkey - statistics & facts

Tourism in turkey after the covid-19 pandemic, tourism in istanbul, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP in Turkey 2019-2023

Travel and tourism's total contribution to employment in Turkey 2019-2023

Total tourism income in Turkey 2001-2023

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Current statistics on this topic.

Leisure Travel

Number of international tourist arrivals in Turkey 2000-2023

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Recommended statistics

• Basic Statistic Travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP in Turkey 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Share of the GDP of the tourism sector in Turkey 2013-2028
• Basic Statistic Distribution of travel and tourism expenditure in Turkey 2019-2022, by type
• Basic Statistic Distribution of travel and tourism expenditure in Turkey 2019-2022, by tourist type
• Premium Statistic Total tourism income in Turkey 2001-2023
• Premium Statistic Tourism income in Turkey 2019-2022, by type of expenditure
• Basic Statistic Travel and tourism's total contribution to employment in Turkey 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of employees in tourism industries in Turkey 2015-2021, by service

Travel and tourism's total contribution to GDP in Turkey 2019-2023

Total contribution of travel and tourism to GDP in Turkey from 2019 to 2023 (in billion Turkish liras)

Share of the GDP of the tourism sector in Turkey 2013-2028

Share of the GDP of the tourism sector in Turkey from 2013 to 2028

Distribution of travel and tourism expenditure in Turkey 2019-2022, by type

Distribution of travel and tourism spending in Turkey from 2019 and 2022, by type

Distribution of travel and tourism expenditure in Turkey 2019-2022, by tourist type

Distribution of travel and tourism spending in Turkey in 2019 and 2022, by type of tourist

Annual tourism income in Turkey from 2001 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Tourism income in Turkey 2019-2022, by type of expenditure

Annual income from tourism in Turkey from 2019 to 2022, by type of expenditure (in million U.S. dollars)

Travel and tourism's total contribution to employment in Turkey 2019-2023

Total contribution of travel and tourism to employment in Turkey from 2019 to 2023 (in million jobs)

Number of employees in tourism industries in Turkey 2015-2021, by service

Number of employees in tourism industries in Turkey from 2015 to 2021, by service (in 1,000s)

Inbound tourism

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• Premium Statistic Number of international tourist arrivals in Turkey 2000-2023
• Premium Statistic Inbound day visitor arrivals in Turkey 2008-2022
• Premium Statistic Number of foreign tourist arrivals in Turkey monthly 2020-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of international visitors in Turkey 2022, by purpose of visit
• Premium Statistic Leading inbound travel markets in Turkey 2019-2022
• Premium Statistic Inbound tourist expenditure in Turkey Q1 2017-Q4 2021
• Premium Statistic Average tourist expenditure per capita of inbound visitors in Turkey 2003-2023

Inbound visitor arrivals in Turkey 2008-2023

Number of inbound visitor arrivals in Turkey from 2008 to 2023 (in 1,000s)

Number of international visitors arriving in Turkey from 2000 to 2023 (in 1,000s)

Inbound day visitor arrivals in Turkey 2008-2022

Number of inbound excursionists arriving in Turkey from 2008 to 2022 (in 1,000s)

Number of foreign tourist arrivals in Turkey monthly 2020-2023

Number of foreign tourist arrivals in Turkey from January 2020 to April 2023 (in 1,000s)

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Number of international visitors in Turkey in 2022, by purpose of visit (in 1,000s)

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Quarterly expenditure of inbound tourists in Turkey from 1st quarter 2017 to 4th quarter 2021 (in billion U.S. dollars)

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Average tourist expenditure per capita of inbound tourists in Turkey from 2003 to 2023 (in U.S. dollars)

Domestic tourism

• Premium Statistic Number of domestic trips in Turkey 2009-2022
• Premium Statistic Domestic overnight stays in Turkey 2009-2022
• Premium Statistic Average number of domestic overnight stays in Turkey 2022, by age group
• Premium Statistic Domestic tourism spending in Turkey 2019-2022, by type
• Premium Statistic Domestic tourism expenditure on leisure and vacation trips in Turkey 2009-2022

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Number of domestic overnight stays in Turkey from 2009 to 2022 (in millions)

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Domestic tourism spending in Turkey 2019-2022, by type

Domestic tourism expenditure in Turkey from 2019 to 2022, by type (in billion Turkish liras)

Domestic tourism expenditure on leisure and vacation trips in Turkey 2009-2022

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Outbound tourism

• Premium Statistic Number of residents traveling abroad from Turkey 2006-2023
• Premium Statistic Leading outbound destinations visited by residents of Turkey 2019-2023
• Premium Statistic Overnight stays of Turkish citizens traveling abroad 2019-2022, by accommodation type
• Premium Statistic Outbound tourism expenditure from Turkey 2003-2023
• Premium Statistic Outbound tourist expenditure from Turkey Q1 2017-Q4 2022
• Premium Statistic Average tourist expenditure per capita of outbound travelers from Turkey 2003-2023

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Overnight stays of Turkish citizens traveling abroad 2019-2022, by accommodation type

Number of overnight stays by citizens visiting destinations abroad from Turkey from 2019 to 2022, by accommodation type (in millions)

Outbound tourism expenditure from Turkey 2003-2023

Annual expenditure of outbound tourists from Turkey from 2003 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

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Expenditure of outbound tourists from Turkey from 1st quarter 2017 to 4th quarter 2022 (in million U.S. dollars)

Average tourist expenditure per capita of outbound travelers from Turkey 2003-2023

Average tourist expenditure per capita of outbound visitors from Turkey from 2003 to 2023 (in U.S. dollars)

Accommodation

• Premium Statistic Number of arrivals to tourist accommodations in Turkey 2013-2022
• Premium Statistic Number of arrivals to tourist accommodations in Turkey 2023, by type of establishment
• Premium Statistic Inbound overnight hotel stays in Turkey 2014-2022
• Premium Statistic Number of hotel rooms in Turkey 2010-2021
• Premium Statistic Number of hotel bed-places in Turkey 2010-2021
• Premium Statistic Occupancy rate of star-rated hotels in Turkey 2023, by rating

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Number of arrivals to tourist accommodations in Turkey from 2013 to 2022 (in millions)

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Number of arrivals to tourist accommodations in Turkey in 2023, by type of establishment (in 1,000s)

Inbound overnight hotel stays in Turkey 2014-2022

Number of international overnight stays in hotel accommodations in Turkey from 2014 to 2022 (in 1,000s)

Number of hotel rooms in Turkey 2010-2021

Number of rooms in hotels and similar establishments in Turkey from 2010 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

Number of hotel bed-places in Turkey 2010-2021

Total number of bed-places in hotels and similar accommodation in Turkey from 2010 to 2021 (in 1,000s)

Occupancy rate of star-rated hotels in Turkey 2023, by rating

Occupancy rate of star-rated hotels in Turkey in 2023, by hotel rating

• Basic Statistic Leading European city tourism destinations 2019-2022, by number of bed nights
• Basic Statistic Most affordable cities for backpacking in Europe 2024
• Premium Statistic Most competitive European cities for business events 2021
• Premium Statistic Most visited destinations by international tourists in Turkey 2019-2022
• Premium Statistic Number of foreign tourist arrivals to Istanbul 2014-2023
• Premium Statistic Number of foreign tourist arrivals to Istanbul 2020-2023
• Premium Statistic Overnight accommodation costs in Istanbul 2019-2023, by month
• Premium Statistic Most visited museums in Istanbul 2022

Leading European city tourism destinations 2019-2022, by number of bed nights

Leading city tourism destinations in Europe from 2019 to 2022, by number of bed nights (in millions)

Most affordable cities for backpacking in Europe 2024

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Most competitive European cities for business events 2021

Leading city destinations for international conventions in Europe in 2021 (index score)

Most visited destinations by international tourists in Turkey 2019-2022

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Number of foreign tourist arrivals in Istanbul from January 2020 to September 2023 (in 1,000s)

Overnight accommodation costs in Istanbul 2019-2023, by month

Average cost of overnight accommodation in Istanbul, Turkey from January 2019 to October 2023 (in euros)

Most visited museums in Istanbul 2022

Leading museums in Istanbul in 2022, by number of visitors

Public opinion

• Premium Statistic Attitudes towards traveling in Turkey 2023
• Premium Statistic Travel frequency for private purposes in Turkey 2023
• Premium Statistic Travel frequency for business purposes in Turkey 2023
• Premium Statistic Travel product bookings in Turkey 2023

Attitudes towards traveling in Turkey 2023

Attitudes towards traveling in Turkey as of March 2023

Travel frequency for private purposes in Turkey 2023

Travel frequency for private purposes in Turkey as of March 2023

Travel frequency for business purposes in Turkey 2023

Travel frequency for business purposes in Turkey as of March 2023

Travel product bookings in Turkey 2023

Travel product bookings in Turkey as of March 2023

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Turkish police detained 210 people at May Day demonstrations in İstanbul: minister

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The number of foreign visitors to Turkey jumped 19.4 percent in the first eight months of 2023, compared to the same period last year, reaching nearly 11 million, local media reported on Wednesday, citing data from the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

According to the data, Antalya hosted a total of 10,835,204 visitors in the first eight months, including 10,209,855 foreign tourists and 625,349 foreigners resident in Turkey.

In the ranking of countries that sent the most visitors to Antalya during this period, Russia took first place with 2,379,216 visitors and a 32.5 percent increase compared to a year earlier.

Turkey, which was already a popular holiday destination for Russians, has begun to be preferred by more Russians since the EU imposed restrictions on Russians traveling to Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Obtaining visas for EU countries has become more expensive and less straightforward for Russians, while Russian air carriers have been banned from flying over or into the EU.

Germany ranked second with 2,108,816 visitors and a 17.34 percent increase, while the United Kingdom came in third with 922,560 visitors and a 14.58 percent increase. Poland followed closely in fourth place with 752,805 visitors and a 39.2 percent increase. Following Poland were the Netherlands, Kazakhstan and Romania.

Antalya, one of the world’s most significant tourism destinations, hosted a total of 10,035,458 visitors during the five-month period from April, marking the beginning of the tourism season, to August. Of these visitors 9,522,052 were foreign tourists, while 513,406 were foreigners resident in Turkey.

According to Statista , a German online platform specializing in data gathering and visualization, Turkey had tourism revenue of $46.4 billion in 2022.

Revenues in 2022 surged 53.4 percent from the previous year to a record high as the lingering effects of the pandemic disappeared and fallout from the Ukraine war drove an increase in Russian arrivals.

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U.S. tourist faces 12 years in prison after taking ammunition to Turks and Caicos

An Oklahoma man faces up to 12 years in prison on a Caribbean island after customs officials found ammunition in his luggage.

Ryan Watson traveled to Turks and Caicos with his wife, Valerie, to celebrate his 40th birthday on April 7. They went with two friends who had also turned 40.

The vacation came to an abrupt end when airport staff members found a zip-close bag containing bullets in the couple's carry-on luggage. Watson said it was hunting ammunition he had accidentally brought with him — but under a strict law in Turks and Caicos, a court may still impose a mandatory 12-year sentence.

"They were hunting ammunition rounds that I use for whitetail deer," Watson told NBC Boston in an interview conducted last week that aired after their first court appearance Tuesday.

"I recognized them, and I thought, 'Oh, man, what a bonehead mistake that I had no idea that those were in there,'" he said.

The couple were arrested and charged with possession of ammunition. Authorities seized their passports and explained the penalties they faced.

Valerie Watson said in the interview: "When I heard that, I immediately was terrified, because I was like we can't both be in prison for 12 years. We have kids at home, and this is such an innocent mistake."

The charges against her were dropped, and she returned home to Oklahoma City on Tuesday after the court hearing to be reunited with her two young children.

"Our goal is to get Ryan home, because we can’t be a family without Dad," she said.

The couple also spoke about the financial burden of a much longer-than-planned trip. "This is something that we may never recover from," Ryan Watson said.

The U.S. Embassy in the Bahamas issued a warning to travelers in September about a law that strongly prohibits possession of firearms or ammunition in Turks and Caicos, an overseas British territory southeast of the Bahamas that is a popular vacation spot.

It said: "We wish to remind all travelers that declaring a weapon in your luggage with an airline carrier does not grant permission to bring the weapon into TCI [Turks and Caicos Islands] and will result in your arrest."

The embassy added: "If you bring a firearm or ammunition into TCI, we will not be able to secure your release from custody."

The embassy and the government in Turks and Caicos did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The same thing happened to another American, Bryan Hagerich, of Pennsylvania, who was arrested after ammunition was found in his luggage before he tried to board a flight out of Turks and Caicos in February. He said he accidentally left it in his bag.

Hagerich was on a family vacation with his wife and two young children but has now been in the country for 70 days. He spent eight days in prison before he posted bail.

"It’s incredibly scary. You know, you just don’t know what the next day may bring — you know, what path this may take," Hagerich told NBC Boston.

"You know, it’s certainly a lot different than packing your bags and going away with your family for a few days. It’s been the worst 70 days of my life," he said.

Hagerich, once a professional baseball player, was drafted by the Florida Marlins in the MLB 2007 June amateur draft from the University of Delaware.

His case goes to trial May 3.

Patrick Smith is a London-based editor and reporter for NBC News Digital.

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Clashes and arrests at UCLA, Columbia as campus demonstrations intensify

Turkish police detain over 200 may day protesters in istanbul, minister says.

• Oops! Something went wrong. Please try again later. More content below

ISTANBUL (Reuters) -Turkish police detained 210 people on Wednesday, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said, after using tear gas and rubber bullets to stop the protesters reaching Taksim Square, the traditional focal point of May Day rallies in Istanbul.

President Tayyip Erdogan said on the eve of May Day that the annual protests would not be allowed to take place on Taksim Square, which was cordoned off by police.

Legal experts say this stance violates the right of Turks to organise public meetings and demonstrations, a right upheld by the Constitutional Court in a ruling last October.

The leader of Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Ozgur Ozel, called for the rally to go ahead in the square despite a ban issued by the Istanbul Governor's office.

"If May 1 is not celebrated in the country's main square, democracy is in trouble. This struggle will continue until Taksim is free," Ozel told reporters on Wednesday in the district of Sarachane.

Ozel and Istanbul mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, who was re-elected this year on a CHP ticket, then joined workers and labour union members for the march towards Taksim Square nearby to protest against soaring inflation and economic hardships.

However, the May Day organising committee shortly afterwards announced the end of the demonstration in Sarachane following the police intervention, drawing angry jeers from the crowd, a video posted on X showed.

Authorities had deployed snipers on the historic Valens Aqueduct in Sarachane and created a barricade with water cannon vehicles and dozens of police officers, blocking all routes to the square, Reuters video showed.

Some protesters threw stones at security forces as they tried to breach the barricades.

Yerlikaya said more than 42,000 police officers had been drafted in Istanbul for the demonstrations, held every year to mark International Labour Day.

Protests are often centred on Taksim Square, where 34 people were killed during demonstrations on May 1, 1977.

(Reporting by Bulent Usta, Mert Ozkan, Umit Bektas, Dilara Senkaya, Burcu Karakas; Editing by Ros Russell)

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Some airline issues get you a refund, some don't. How it works | Cruising Altitude

John Schrier was traveling home to New York from Taipei last month and said the flight was interminably boring.

“As we boarded, you could see that about half of the screens had a black screen,” he told me. “Half of us were not able to watch an entertainment system.” 

Schrier said he reached out to the Taiwanese airline EVA Air on multiple platforms, including on social media during the flight, but said he initially had no luck hearing back or getting reimbursed for the inconvenience of a transpacific flight with no inflight entertainment.

Unfortunately for Schrier, it’s unlikely that compensation will be required. Airlines have conditions attached to every ticket, known as contracts of carriage, that outline their minimum obligations to passengers. Contracts of carriage, coupled with rules from regulators like the Department of Transportation, give passengers their basic rights when flying – but seatback screens are not usually considered mandatory equipment, even if they’re advertised as an available amenity.

Nevertheless, the DOT recently announced new rules that give consumers increased protections when other kinds of things go wrong, so here’s what you need to know about what is and isn’t a reimbursable offense by an airline these days.

What is an airline contract of carriage?

Airline contracts of carriage are the terms and conditions that passengers agree to when they fly. Travelers automatically sign on when they purchase their tickets, even if they don’t have to formally sign a document. The contracts typically outline an airline’s commitments for transportation, as well as what happens if your flight is delayed or canceled and other fine print related to your itinerary.

“Some airlines have a customer bill of rights to basically simplify the airline contract of carriage, but essentially it’s what’s allowed, what’s not allowed, but everybody has a little bit different verbiage,” Loulu Lima, founder of the Texas-based travel agency Book Here Give Here, told me. 

If you want to comb through the fine print, airlines make their contracts of carriage available on their websites. EVA’s contract , which covered Shrier’s trip, includes terms and conditions on how tickets can be used and (not) transferred, how stopovers work, what kinds of delays or cancellations make a passenger eligible for a refund and other assorted policies.

“It’s going to depend on the airline. An American airline is going to have a different set of rules than an Asian one,” Lima said. “The rules are really written based on the country of the corporate office.

Here are the contracts of carriage for each of the major U.S. airlines, if you want to take a look: 

• American Airlines
• United Airlines
• Delta Air Lines
• Southwest Airlines

Can passengers get a refund for broken inflight entertainment?

Usually not. 

“If you have status, you might get some loyalty points out of it, but other than maybe going on social media and making a big stink about it you’re probably not going to get anything,” Lima said.

Some airlines are also more accommodating than others and may voluntarily give passengers credits when something like that goes wrong. A few years ago, I was flying on Delta, and my seatback screen was broken, and they gave me about 2,500 SkyMiles as a goodwill gesture. 

Shrier said EVA eventually offered him about $100 in compensation.

Last week's Cruising Altitude: Another Boeing plane issue? Don't fall for the headlines.

New Department of Transportation rule increases traveler protections

While inflight entertainment isn’t typically considered critical equipment by an airline, which means it’s safe to travel even if those seatback screens aren’t working, the DOT recently announced new rules that help guarantee protections and refunds for other kinds of issues in the air. 

Part of the change mean: 

• Airlines will have to automatically issue refunds within 20 days if a passenger’s flight is canceled or significantly delayed (over three hours) and they choose not to travel on alternative flights offered.
• If a traveler pays a checked bag fee and their bag is significantly delayed, they’ll be entitled to a refund of the fee. 
• If a traveler pays in advance for an ancillary service like an extra legroom seat or Wi-Fi and then does not have access to that amenity on the flight, they will have to receive a refund for those charges.

The refund policies were also coupled with another new rule that requires more upfront, clear-cut disclosure of airline fees.

“A lot of what we hear from passengers involves refunds – or the lack thereof – for passengers who experience cancellations and disruptions.” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement announcing the new rules. “Infrequent fliers are especially vulnerable, since they may not know that we are here for them, and are often not told about their right to a refund, and too often instead offered compensation in form of a voucher or miles whose value amounts to pennies on the dollar of what they are actually owed. Or they enter the vortex of call centers and chatbots, sometimes giving up before they get their money back.”

Shrier, for example, said he had a lot of trouble getting through to EVA to file his complaint. 

It’s definitely frustrating for travelers who are on a long flight without functioning entertainment. I’m usually totally dependent on the seatback screen for my distractions while flying. But if the alternative is for a flight to get significantly delayed or canceled while technicians fix the operating system, I think I’d rather just get going. 

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected].

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Automatic Refunds and No More Hidden Fees: D.O.T. Sets New Rules for Airlines

The Transportation Department issued new requirements on refunds when flights are canceled or delayed and on revealing “junk” fees before booking. Here’s what passengers can expect.

By Christine Chung

The Transportation Department on Wednesday announced new rules taking aim at two of the most difficult and annoying issues in air travel: obtaining refunds and encountering surprise fees late in the booking process.

“Passengers deserve to know upfront what costs they are facing and should get their money back when an airline owes them — without having to ask,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a statement, adding that the changes would not only save passengers “time and money,” but also prevent headaches.

The department’s new rules, Mr. Buttigieg said, will hold airlines to clear and consistent standards when they cancel, delay or substantially change flights, and require automatic refunds to be issued within weeks. They will also require them to reveal all fees before a ticket is purchased.

Airlines for America , a trade group representing the country’s largest air carriers, said in a statement that its airlines “abide by and frequently exceed” D.O.T. consumer protection regulations.

Passenger advocates welcomed the new steps.

Tomasz Pawliszyn, the chief executive of AirHelp, a Berlin-based company that assists passengers with airline claims, called it a “massive step forward and huge improvement in consumer rights and protection” that brings the United States closer to global standards in passenger rights.

Here’s what we know about the D.O.T.’s new rules, which will begin to go into effect in October.

There’s now one definition for a “significant” delay.

Until now, airlines have been allowed to set their own definition for a “significant” delay and compensation has varied by carrier . Now, according to the D.O.T., there will be one standard: when departure or arrival is delayed by three hours for domestic flights and six hours for international flights.

Passengers will get prompt refunds for cancellations or significant changes for flights and delayed bags, for any reason.

When things go wrong, getting compensation from an airline has often required establishing a cumbersome paper trail or spending untold hours on the phone. Under the new rules, refunds will be automatic, without passengers having to request them. Refunds will be made in full, excepting the value of any transportation already used. Airlines and ticket agents must provide refunds in the original form of payment, whether by cash, credit card or airline miles. Refunds are due within seven days for credit card purchases and within 20 days for other payments.

Passengers with other flight disruptions, such as being downgraded to a lower service class, are also entitled to refunds.

The list of significant changes for which passengers can get their money back also includes: departure or arrival from an airport different from the one booked; connections at different airports or flights on planes that are less accessible to a person with a disability; an increase in the number of scheduled connections. Also, passengers who pay for services like Wi-Fi or seat selection that are then unavailable will be refunded any fees.

Airlines must give travel vouchers or credits to ticketed passengers unable to fly because of government restrictions or a doctor’s orders.

The vouchers or credits will be transferable and can be used for at least five years after the date they were issued.

Fees for checked baggage and modifying a reservation must be disclosed upfront.

Airlines and ticket agents are now required to display any extra fees for things like checking bags or seat selection clearly and individually before a ticket purchase. They will also need to outline the airline’s policies on baggage, cancellations and changing flights before a customer purchases a ticket.

The rules, which apply to all flights on domestic airlines and flights to and from the United States operated by foreign airlines, have varying start dates.

For example, automatic refunds must be instituted by the airlines within six months. But carriers have a year before they’re required to issue travel vouchers and credits for passengers advised by a medical professional not to fly.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Christine Chung is a Times reporter covering airlines and consumer travel. More about Christine Chung

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

Turks frustrated by 'deliberate' increase in number of European visa rejections

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Additional reporting by Ece Toksabay in Ankara and Jonathan Spicer in Istanbul; Writing by Ezgi Erkoyun; Editing by Daren Butler and Raissa Kasolowsky

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Recovery in Chinese Tourism to the U.S. Is Happening – But It’s Lagging Other Countries

Dawit Habtemariam , Skift

April 30th, 2024 at 3:29 PM EDT

It's good news that Chinese tourism will recover faster than expected. Weak air connectivity remains a problem.

Dawit Habtemariam

The U.S. travel industry will see a full recovery in Chinese and Japanese tourism by 2026 — one year earlier than previously projected, according to the U.S. National and Travel Tourism Office’s latest annual forecast released Tuesday.

But both China and Japan will behind the rest of the U.S.’ source markets – the office expects international travel to the U.S. to fully recover in 2025.

“Both Japan and China will exceed 2019 levels, but it’s going to be one year later [than other markets],” said David Huether, deputy director for the National Travel and Tourism Office, during a webinar to discuss the forecast. “This is actually an improvement. In last year’s forecast, these two countries didn’t even recover in the window overall.”

Huether noted China and Japan outpaced other markets and started to pick up in 2023, the year both countries started to reopen to international travel. Japanese visitation rose 154% and Chinese visitation increased by 190% in 2023, he said.

“[China was] the eighth-largest source market last year,” said Jackie Ennis, vice president of global trade development at Brand USA.

Huether said that before the pandemic, China was the U.S.’s third-largest source market in terms of volume. 

Brand USA CEO and President Chris Thompson told Skift in 2023 that Chinese tourists spent over $30 billion in 2019, making them the U.S.’ highest spenders.

Barriers to Chinese Tourism to the U.S.

Huether cited China’s weak economy and flight restrictions as reasons why China is behind other source markets. The war in Ukraine and and geopolitics continue to be barriers to the restoration of flights.

Air connectivity between China and the U.S. is 25% of its pre-pandemic level, said Ennis.

The U.S. government has been approving flights slowly. “Every single route has to be approved by the U.S. federal government versus just the commercial supply and demand issue, leading to this layering of route development,” said Visit California CEO and President Caroline Beteta in a previous interview with Skift.

In April, the aviation industry trade group Airlines for America sent a letter to the U.S. government asking for a pause on more passenger flights between China and the U.S.

Rising Airfares Discourage Some Japanese Travelers 

Ennis said that due to the lack of air connectivity between China and the U.S., many Chinese tourists are flying through Tokyo, Seoul, and Taipei, lifting the airfares for Japanese travelers.

“Not only are the Japanese very risk averse in terms of coming to the U.S. immediately post-pandemic, but the cost factor is enormous,” she said. “We’re looking at really high rates out of Tokyo for the leisure traveler coming to the U.S.”

The Daily Newsletter

Our daily coverage of the global travel industry. Written by editors and analysts from across Skift’s brands.

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Tags: china , international tourism , tourism

Ukraine-Russia war latest: Devastation of Ukrainian town laid bare in drone footage - as Russia 'shifting battlefield focus'

Aerial images of the eastern town of Chasiv Yar have revealed the effects of Russian bombardment. A leading thinktank has suggested Moscow's battlefield focus may have shifted towards the town. Listen to a Daily podcast on whether the UK should send troops to Ukraine as you scroll.

Wednesday 1 May 2024 15:40, UK

• Drone footage reveals ghost town left after Russian bombardment  
• The signs Moscow's battlefield focus could be shifting
• Your questions answered: Why can't Ukraine destroy key Crimean bridge?
• Listen to the Sky News Daily above and  tap here  to follow wherever you get your podcasts
• Live reporting by Lauren Russell

Months of Russian artillery strikes have devastated the strategically important town of Chasiv Var in eastern Ukraine.

Drone footage - reminiscent of Bakhmut after its capture by Moscow's forces last year - lays bare the effects of strikes on the town, once home to 12,000 people.

Russia's focus may be shifting more towards Chasiv Yar, which is around 80km north of Avdiivka, as if captured it would make it easier for Moscow to advance further in the east.

Ukraine hopes to store 4bn cubic metres of gas from foreign companies and traders this winter despite an increase in Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. 

Oleksiy Chernyshov, chief executive of state energy company Naftogaz, said Russia had attacked company infrastructure five times since March.

The company is working on strengthening defences that can protect vulnerable above ground gas facilities, but stresses it has underground facilities big enough to store 31bn cubic metres.

That's enough for Ukraine's annual needs and surplus storage from Europe. 

Storing gas helps Ukraine to make a profit while providing Europe with additional supply flexibility after the continent cut Russian gas imports at the start of the war. 

Earlier, we reported that Russian guided bombs had struck the northeast Ukrainian region of Kharkiv, killing two people.

The number of injured has risen to six, including an 11-year-old boy, the regional governor said. 

Oleh Syniehubov said a 64-year-old man and a 38-year-old woman were killed while driving their car.

Also injured were a 50-year-old man and 41-year-old woman, who received medical treatment.

More than 20 cars were damaged and a house was destroyed. 

Each week we ask readers for their questions on the war for our military analysts and international correspondents.

This week, military analyst Sean Bell  answers:

Why are Ukraine finding it so hard to completely destroy the Kerch Bridge? DC

Thank you for this question.

Europe's longest bridge connects Russia to the city of Kerch in Crimea, which was illegally annexed from Ukraine by Moscow in 2014.

The bridge runs over the Kerch Strait and is the only direct road link between Russia and the annexed peninsula. 

It consists of a separate roadway and railway - fortified by concrete stilts - which give way to a wider span held by steel arches at the point where ships pass between the Black Sea and the smaller Azov Sea.

On 17 July 2023, the Ukrainians attacked the Crimean bridge with two suicide sea drones, damaging a span of the road bridge. 

The explosions killed two civilians and injured one . Ukraine later formally admitted to launching the attack.

Resilient bridge design

Although the road surface was damaged, the supports remained intact.

Despite the impressive capability of "smart" weapons, some bridges are very difficult to destroy due to their design.  

The opposite is also true: The cantilever design of the Baltimore bridge in the US that was struck by a container ship on 26 March led to its collapse.

In contrast, individual spans on the Kerch Bridge can be damaged or destroyed with limited impact on the structural integrity of the rest of the bridge, so the focus of any military strike would be the concrete stilts, which would take longer to repair or replace.

Although the Kerch Bridge provides a vital conduit for Russian military resupply lines, the Ukrainians have shown they have the capability to deny its use - at least temporarily - to Russia's military forces.  

Focus closer to home - for now

Although Ukraine is struggling to contain Russia's latest offensive efforts on the frontline in the Donbas, at some stage Ukraine might decide to focus its offensive efforts on Crimea.

Most analysts believe Ukraine would struggle to liberate Crimea completely, but the strategically important port of Sevastopol is a centre of gravity for Vladimir Putin - something he will not want to lose.

Ukraine does not have a navy, but has successfully targeted the Russian Black Sea Fleet and pushed it further east.

That leaves Crimea relatively exposed, and if Ukraine were to mount a serious assault against the occupied enclave, that would be the time to exploit the lessons learned from previous attacks against the Kerch Bridge to deny its use for any Russian reinforcements.

For now, Ukraine is focusing its limited weapons on specific strategic targets, which might eventually include a more determined attack against the Kerch Bridge.

Starting tonight, Estonia will close a border crossing with Russia nightly after an influx of migrants and asylum seekers.

The Narva-1 crossing will close between 11pm and 7am local time each night, the Estonian public broadcaster, ERR, reported.

The crossing connects the two countries via a bridge over the Narva River. 

Marek Liiva, head of the border crossing, told ERR that anyone who is left on the bridge after 11pm will still be seen by border control and allowed to cross. 

Using a splintered piece of wood for stability and wearing a pair of slippers on her feet, a 98-year-old Ukrainian woman managed to escape Russian-occupied territory. 

Lidia Stepanivna Lomikovska and her family decided to leave the frontline town of Ocheretyne, in the eastern Donetsk region, last week after Russian troops entered and fighting intensified.

The elderly woman became separated from her son and two daughters-in-law while fleeing, but she kept going to reach Ukrainian lines. 

She walked along one of the main roads for six miles (10km) without food or water. 

"Once I lost balance and fell into weeds. I fell asleep… a little, and continued walking. And then, for the second time, again, I fell. But then I got up and thought to myself: 'I need to keep walking, bit by bit,'" Ms Lomikovska said.

She was reunited with her family after being taken to a shelter for evacuees.

A senior Russian defence official has reportedly been questioned by the Federal Security Service after the detention of one of his colleagues on bribery charges. 

Ruslan Tsalikov is the "number three" in Moscow's defence ministry after Sergei Shoigu, the minister, and chief of the general staff Valery Gerasimov, the UK defence ministry says in its intelligence update today.

He was reportedly pulled in for questioning after the arrest of deputy defence minister Timur Ivanov, his close ally, on 21 April.

As first deputy defence minister, Mr Tsalikov ranks above Ivanov.

Ivanov is accused of accepting large bribes and will be kept in custody until 23 June after appearing at a Moscow district court last week.

He was in charge of property management, housing, construction and mortgages at the ministry - whose spending has spiralled since the Ukraine war began.

A number of defence ministers have already been questioned or detained after Ivanov's arrest. 

The Russian military claims it has attacked the headquarters of the Ukrainian army's southern grouping. 

The attack was carried out using Russian air force missiles and artillery, Moscow's defence ministry said. 

It gave no further details about the attack but said that Russian forces were improving their positions along the entire frontline. 

Ukrainian forces defending Chasiv Yar have said they are desperately waiting for more ammunition to arrive from the US. 

Oleh Shyriaiev, commander of Ukraine's 225th Separate Assault Battalion, which is fighting in the eastern city, called specifically for long-range weapons.

He said they would "cut [Russian forces] off from logistics and supplies".

Commander Shyriaiev also called for cluster munitions, which are banned by a number of countries over the danger they pose to civilians. 

Earlier, we reported that Russian troops appear to be concentrating advances in the direction of Chasiv Yar - which is 80km north of Avdiivka.

If captured, the city would give the Russians a better opportunity to target towns and cities further to the west.

The images below show the apocalyptic scenes in Chasiv Yar after bombardment by the Russians.

At least two people have been killed after Russian guided bombs struck the northeast Ukrainian region of Kharkiv. 

A man and a woman were killed in their car as they travelled in the village of Zolochiv, Oleh Syniehubov, the regional governor, said. 

A man, 77, and a woman, 74, were injured after three fires broke out after the strike.

Ten homes were also damaged. 

The region of Kharkiv has been under intense fire by Russian forces targetting energy infrastructure.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said yesterday that his country needed a "significant acceleration" in the delivery of weapons to enable its troops to push back advancing Russian troops in several parts of the frontline.

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