Tourism promotion video triggers outrage in Turkey

ANKARA: A Turkish government tourism promotion video showing airline and hospitality staff wearing yellow masks with a logo that reads "Enjoy! I am vaccinated" has triggered widespread outrage across the country.

While opposition leaders said it humiliated Turks, civilians slammed the government's tone-deafness as they grapple with a nationwide shutdown, loss of income and baffling rules while waiting to get Covid-19 vaccines, reports dpa news agency.

The video, created by official travel guide Go Turkiye, presented Turkey as a "safe haven" for unmasked foreign tourists.

With sweeping views of top destinations, the English video said: "Sanitized resorts and vaccinated staff. We call it double safety for tourism. Our guests call it peace of mind."

While the video was subsequently taken down on Friday, Turks responded in anger, demanding the resignation of Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and the hashtag #TurkumOzurDilerim (sorry, I'm Turkish) trending on Twitter.

"In the pandemic, you only inflicted suffering and difficulties on our beloved people, and now you've done this without being ashamed. Shame on you," tweeted opposition Iyi Party leader, Meral Aksener.

"Finally, we have a ministry that humiliates its own people," said Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader of the main opposition Republican People's Party.

Foreign tourists have been free to roam during the ongoing lockdown of nearly three weeks to stem the spread of coronavirus, which includes the Eid holidays. Turkey began its vaccination campaign in January, primarily with China's Sinovac and subsequently Pfizer/BioNTech's shots. (IANS)

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