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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to say no to holidaying in Turkey?

55 replies

waffilyversati1e · 28/03/2016 16:52

OH was looking at potential holidays. Great

He found a weeks all inclusive holiday for the 5 of us at the end of May in a hotel with awesome water slides and great reviews...

..its just me who feels anxious and I cannot explain why. I guess i am nervous about Isis and how unsafe the world feels at the moment.

I think I might be being utterly ridiculous. Would you book a family holiday abroad at the moment? Is there anywhere you just wouldn't want to go to?

OP posts:
BarbaraofSeville · 29/03/2016 09:44

I would have thought that a AI hotel in (presumably) a tourist area, a long way from the Syrian border or the capital was relatively low risk.

It's sad for the hotels and everyone who works there who are probably suffering due to the drop in tourist trade.

redhat · 29/03/2016 10:04

I wouldn't go to turkey, egypt, tunisia, morocco at the moment (and have been to all in the past). Why would you when there are other places to go?

MumOnTheRunCatchingUp · 29/03/2016 10:21

I believe there was ( still is?) Isis plans to attack holiday resorts. High concentration Of tourists means more nationalities affected. Tunisia is still too fresh in my mind so I'd not chance it

I was looking at holidays abroad. A week for us in Turkey is cheaper than a week at haven caravan park a few miles away.

LucyLocketLostHerPocket · 29/03/2016 10:29

I don't think anywhere with tourists is 'safe' at the moment but that said I wouldn't take my family there. If something big happened elsewhere while you were there things could change very quickly.

Voteforpedr0 · 29/03/2016 10:32

I wouldn't take my family somewhere that I didn't have confidence in their security forces. Turkey can't even get airport security right, so no Definitely not bu.

MumOnTheRunCatchingUp · 29/03/2016 10:34

Yes it's not just the resort itself, it's the transport to and from

bigbuttons · 29/03/2016 11:07

I don't think you can live like that, worrying, what if. For the last few years I have taken my kids to Turkey/Morocco exclusively, we are going to Turkey again this year and Morocco the next.

wasonthelist · 29/03/2016 11:08

I wouldn't go on this type of holiday in Turkey (although I have in the past), but not due to security concerns.

BestZebbie · 29/03/2016 11:09

I think I would go to Turkey - we went a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it, people we interacted with directly (hotel, sightseeing, shopping, eating out, transport around tourist sights) were pretty much all involved in the tourist industry and so unsurprisingly all pretty well-disposed towards tourists and friendly/helpful etc.

On the other hand, I still have a unfulfilled childhood ambition to visit "Timbuktu" (because of the Dr Dolittle song!) but I won't be travelling to Mali for a couple of decades minimum at the current rate.

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 29/03/2016 11:14

No I agree OP I wouldn't go either.

People say that the tourist resorts are safe........but people were saying that about Egypt and Tunisia not that long ago.

My gut feeling is that there will be a big terrorist attack on a Turkish resort this summer, I hope I'm wrong.

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 29/03/2016 11:16

I went to Sharm a few years ago and everyone there was involved in the tourist industry, they were all nice and lovely and im sure wouldn't have wanted a terrorist attack not least because it's buggered their livelihood up. Only takes one person...

MumOnTheRunCatchingUp · 29/03/2016 11:17

I think there will be another attack too.

Earlyday · 29/03/2016 11:17

The whole point of going on a holiday is to feel relaxed. No point going and worrying you might be shot or blown up. Pick somewhere where you'd feel comfortable

Deux · 29/03/2016 11:38

I love Turkey, around Kas and Kalkan and would love to take the DCs there.

But I think I would just be too nervous and on edge. Added to that I have a Turkish friend who is refusing to travel to her homeland and her parents have told her not to travel there as well (not Istanbul).

Like another poster, I think if it was just me and DH I'd go, plus we'd be travelling outside of peak times.

EnthusiasmDisturbed · 29/03/2016 11:47

I would avoid Turkey at the moment

as many people are that is why it is so cheap

As refugees are now being turned back to Turkey I wonder where they will go

MrsMook · 29/03/2016 12:39

I wouldn't take my family to Turkey at the moment. I know the resorts are away from where attacks have taken place, but it's not beyond credible that someone might randomly attack a resort as they did in Tunisia.

I would go to Greece. Being part of the EU feels more protected should something occur.

Nowhere is guaranteed to be safe. I remember being evacuated from an airport in the 90s when the threat was the IRA leaving suspicious packages. However it seems fairly pragmatic to want more confidence in support should an improbable event occur.

Fizzielove · 29/03/2016 13:03

I have never been to Turkey after hearing about friends experiences whilst on holiday there. (marmaris) it was a group of girls and they were pestered by Turkish men the entire time. This was a long time ago before ISIS. So adding that onto the slim chance I definitely wouldn't go simply because I don't think I could relax.

shins · 29/03/2016 13:44

No. Been there several times including three months in Izmir -absolutely loved it. But things are going really downhill politically and socially with that nutter Erdogan in charge. I don't trust security to keep anyone safe and I can easily imagine a lone gunman like the one in Tunisia attacking a beach in Bodrum or Kusadasi, there's a completely porous border with Syria and all its troubles as well as the PKK. My Turkish friend has cancelled her plans to retire back home, says it all really. I just wouldn't feel relaxed there.

VertigoNun · 29/03/2016 13:49

I wouldn't go abroad this year. There are nice quiet holidays to be had in the UK.

Wineandcheases · 29/03/2016 14:16

To the people saying they would holiday in Europe but not turkey - I believe much of Europe is on a higher threat alert than turkey is ?

MissRabbitHasTooManyJobs · 29/03/2016 14:18

Great! We're going to kusadasi in May- aqua fantasy.
I naively hadn't worried about terrorism with it being so far away from the borders but now am worrying... I'm a worrier anyway.
Saying that, I don't believe anywhere is truly safe these days :(

getanotherloan · 29/03/2016 14:18

I wouldn't go either nor to Egypt. Yes risks are everywhere but Turkey is right in the zone and there is a very direct threat to tourists (as you can read on the FCO site). Getting caught up in an incident in this country would be bad enough but far away from home, with a potential language barrier when accessing vital medical care - it's just another layer of complication. It's a terrible situation and I feel for the countries that are having their tourist industries damaged and livelihood's destroyed.

OliviaStabler · 29/03/2016 14:22

I wouldn't go to Turkey in the current climate. Not worth the risk.

EnthusiasmDisturbed · 29/03/2016 14:23

Turkey is going through a violent political unrest, they have have the issues of an overwhelming number of refugees many have been travelling out the the country and now being turned back from Europe

It's a place I would rather avoid. It's a beautiful country I would go back just not now

LaContessaDiPlump · 29/03/2016 14:26

I'd happily go to Turkey. Mind you I grew up in the region and know people who live here so am perhaps less scared of it. I commute into London every other day and that worries me more tbh.

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