Turkey’s Erdogan to discuss tourism with Boris Johnson at Nato summit

Turkey wants to attract holidaymakers but is on UK’s travel red list

Doctors and a nurse from the Bahcesaray public hospital vaccination team arrive at the village of Guneyyamac in eastern Turkey as part of an expedition to vaccinate residents of 65 years old or above against Covid-19. AFP

Dr Sergen Saracoglu, left, and nurse Yilzdiz Ayten, centre, from the Bahcesaray public hospital vaccination team, arrive at the village of Guneyyamac in eastern Turkey on February 15, 2021 as part of an expedition to vaccinate residents of 65 years old against Covid-19. AFP

Doctor Sergen Saracoglu, centre, and nurse Yilzdiz Ayten are part of Turkey's drive to vaccinate members of its population of more than 83 million who live in remote areas. AFP

Doctors from Bahcesaray public hospital's Covid-19 vaccination team offer nurse Yildiz Ayten a hand as they arrive at the village of Guneyyamac in eastern Turkey. AFP

Nurse Yildiz Ayten gives a Covid-19 vaccination to Berfo Arsakay, a 101-year-old woman in the village of Guneyyamac in eastern Turkey. AFP

The vaccinations in Guneyyamac are part of Turkey's nationwide Covid-19 inoculation campaign that began in mid-January. AFP

TOPSHOT - In this photograph taken on February 15, 2021, Berfo Arsakay (C), 101 years old, prepares to receive a vaccine from doctor Akay Kaya (L) and nurse Yildiz Ayten (R) from the Bahcesaray public hospital vaccination team, at the village of Guneyyamac in eastern Turkey, as part of an expedition to vaccinate residents of 65 years old or above with Sinovac's CoronaVac Covid-19 vaccine. Turkey's population of more than 83 million is spread out across Europe and Asia and covers some seemingly impregnable terrain. The vaccination effort with China's CoronaVac jab kicked off with a bang in mid-January when Turkey innoculated more than a one million people in the first week. But it slowed down considerably when doctors left the big cities and tried to reach mountain places such as Imamli and Ozbeyli -- two ethnically Kurdish hamlets of a few hundred herders and farmers each. / AFP / BULENT KILIC

Doctor Akay Kaya from Bahcesaray public hospital vaccination team speaks with a Kurdish woman in the village of Guneyyamac in eastern Turkey. AFP

Residents of remote areas such as the village of Guneyyamac in eastern Turkey have been reluctant to take the Covid-19 vaccine. AFP

Doctor Akay Kaya and a nurse Yildiz Ayten, from the Bahcesaray public hospital vaccination team, speak to inhabitants at the village of Guneyyamac in eastern Turkey, as part of a Covid-19 vaccination drive. AFP

Doctor Sergan Saracoglu puts on a suit of personal protective equipment before entering the village of Guneyyamac in eastern Turkey on February 15, 2021. AFP

Children in Guneyammac follow Akay Kaya, a doctor from Bahcesaray public hospital, as he tries to vaccinate residents 65 and older against Covid-19. AFP

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey will discuss tourism with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson when they meet at a Nato summit this month.

Last month, the UK placed Turkey on its Covid travel red list and warned citizens against visiting the country because of the coronavirus.

It led to the all-English Champions League football final being moved from Istanbul to Portugal and the cancellation of the Turkish Grand Prix.

Red list countries are regarded as high risk and only British or Irish citizens and those with UK residency rights are allowed to enter Britain after visiting Turkey in the previous 10 days.

Tourism is a vital source of income for Turkey, but Mr Erdogan said his government was hopeful ahead of the usually busy summer season.

Mr Erdogan told state broadcaster TRT Haber that tourism officials had held talks with German and Russian officials in an attempt to entice holidaymakers.

Mr Johnson is expected to push US President Joe Biden to open up a US-UK travel corridor, creating an exemption from Covid quarantine rules for vaccinated travellers between the two countries.