Turkey to lift COVID-19 bans on commercial yachts, sailboats in its waters
Commercial yachts and sailboats will be allowed back in Turkish waters as of June 1, after almost two months of bans that aimed to slow the spread of COVID-19. Turkey's Aegean coast was the birthplace of "blue cruise", a term used for a vacation spent sailing on a boat, often a sailboat.
Duvar English
Commercial yachts and sailboats will once again be allowed to coast in Turkish waters after a months-long ban that aimed to prevent further spread of COVID-19.
Surrounded by water in three directions, Turkey has a large market of marine tourism.
Turkey's Aegean coast was the birthplace of "blue cruise", a term used for a week-long vacation spent sailing along the Turkish Riviera on a boat, often a sailboat.
The term "blue cruise" was coined by famous Turkish authors Azra Erhat, Sabahattin Eyüboğlu and Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı, nicknamed the Fisherman of Halicarnassus.
Author Azra Erhat wrote a book titled "Mavi Yolculuk" ("blue cruise" in Turkish) where she described the concept as intellectuals in her circle essentially created it over the past few decades.
Erhat's book was first published in 1957, and later in 1962 and 1979 in extended versions.
"Operations of commercial yachts and wooden sailboats will resume on June 1," said Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Adil Karaismailoğlu on May 28
Commercial boats were banned on March 24 in an attempt to prevent large gatherings in small spaces.
Karaismailoğlu also said that the first high-speed train to travel after a months-long pause successfully traveled to Istanbul from Ankara on May 28, with 84 passengers on board.
Turkey's flagship carrier Turkish Airlines is also expected to resume operations at the beginning of June.