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Travel Summary

• There are confirmed cases of Swine Flu in Turkey. You can check for updates on the number of cases at the World Health Organisation. As a precaution, all passengers arriving in Turkey are required to complete a health declaration landing card, including contact details. Turkish authorities are also using thermal sensors to monitor the temperature of all passengers arriving in Turkey. Those with temperatures may be tested at the airport or transferred to a hospital for testing. Results could take several days to become available and passengers may be asked to remain in hospital or at their hotel during this time. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 6.  The WHO website at: www.who.int has further details.  You should monitor local media reports for any developments and advice.  There is a dedicated Swine Flu page on the FCO website.  Guidance on Pandemic Flu can be obtained on the UK Department of Health website.
  
  
• There is a high threat from terrorism in Turkey and a number of terrorist groups remain active in the country. Terrorist attacks are regularly carried out against the security forces in the south east of the country by the separatist Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). We advise against all but essential travel in the provinces of Hakkari, Sirnak, Siirt and Tunceli and visitors should remain vigilant when travelling in other provinces in south eastern Turkey. Terrorist attacks have also taken place against both government and civilian targets in major cities such as Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara, and tourist resorts on the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts. Improvised explosive devices (IED's) have been placed in crowded areas, restaurants, refuge bins, outside banks and hotels and on dolmus mini-buses and trains.
  
  
• Al Qaida and other networks inspired by religious extremism have specifically targeted western interests in Turkey and there remains a global risk of attack from such groups.
  
  
• Outbreaks of Avian Influenza (Bird Flu) in Turkey have led to a small number of human fatalities. The last fatality was in 2006.  See the Health (Avian Influenza) section of this advice and Avian and Pandemic Flu for more details.
  
  
• The Turkish Ministry of Health have confirmed the presence of Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) in several provinces (Samsun, Kastamonu, Corum and Sivas). CCHF is transmitted by a virus found in ticks. Symptoms are sudden high fever, vomiting and bleeding. There is no vaccine or specific treatment for CCHF. See the Health (Crimean Congo Haemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) section of this advice for more details.
  
  
• Around 2,170,000 British tourists visited Turkey in 2008 (Source: Ministry of Tourism).  Most visits are trouble-free. 347 British nationals required consular assistance in Turkey in period 01 April 2008 – 31 March -2009 for the following types of incident; deaths (102 cases); hospitalisations (112 cases); and arrests, for a variety of offences (47 cases). During this period assistance was also requested with regard to lost or stolen passports (157 cases).
  
  
• We recommend that you obtain comprehensive travel and medical insurance before travelling to Turkey.  You should check any exclusions, and that your policy covers you for all the activities you want to undertake. See the General (Insurance) section of this advice and Travel Insurance for more details.