Dear Friends,
With the recent events in Turkey, we would like to share with you word from our partners in Istanbul. They have assured me that the authorities are doing everything possible to ensure safety for tourists and all those in Turkey at this time. The safety and security of our passengers is always our top priority.
Since the events that took place today, the authorities are taking this very seriously. The Turkish authorities have cleared the whole area and are investigating the situation with their central intelligence. They have apprehended four persons that may have been involved in planning the event. Regardless, security is at an all-time high and there are over 200,000 tourists in Istanbul right now from all over the world; most are from Europe and approximately 20 percent are from the U.S.A.
The remaining sites are all open and again security is heightened everywhere (similar to how Paris handled recent bombings) and day-to-day local life and activities continue as normal. Some areas are closed for now and they’re tentatively scheduled to open later this week.
At this time for anyone in Istanbul now, their sightseeing will be revised as needed and they believe everything will reopen by the end of the week. Since the situation is still fresh, we will continue to receive updates in the days ahead.
Best regards,
Rick