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Turkish colors in Seychelles once again

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Turkish Airlines has returned to the sandy shores of Seychelles, landing in paradise on the morning of Friday, April 23, 2021.

Restarting its COVID-safe international passenger services, Turkish Airlines A330-300 aircraft from Istanbul carrying 171 passengers was greeted by a traditional water salute upon arrival at the Indian Ocean destination.

Contributing to the revival of the local tourism industry, the airline connects Seychelles with the Central and Eastern Europe regions, which has become paramount to the destination as many of its traditional markets remain under lockdown. 

Present at the airport for the arrival of the Turkish Airlines flight, the Chief Executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board, Mrs. Sherin Francis, expressed her excitement to see the carrier’s colors back in Seychelles.

“With our focus now on the eastern and central Europe block, Turkish airline’s return will help us grow this region further as it will connect us with more points in that region. Every airline that resumes their operations to our shores is an important milestone for us as each of them comes with their own strength,” said Mrs. Francis.

The airline will bring travelers to the islands twice weekly, Tuesdays and Fridays, with an expected schedule change from July 12, 2021, flying on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Seychelles started its road to recovery on March 25 with the reopening of the border to the world at the exception of travelers for South Africa and Brazil for the time being.

More news about Seychelles

#rebuildingtravel

MEDIA CONTACT: STB News Bureau, Tel: +248 4 671 354 / +248 4 671 313, [email protected] 

Turkish Airlines prepares to resume flights to Seychelles

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Turkish Airlines has announced that it will be resuming regular flights to the Seychelles islands from its home base, Istanbul Airport from Friday, April 23, 2021.

This is part of Turkish Airlines’ plans to restart COVID-safe international passenger services to several destinations including Seychelles, after the airline suspended its services to the island in March 2020.

Initially, the airline will fly twice weekly to Seychelles – Tuesday and Friday – but with an expected schedule change from July 12, 2021 with flights on Tuesday and Saturday.

Turkish Airlines’ return to the Indian Ocean islands follows the country re-opening its borders to all international tourist markets on March 25, 2021. So far, five airlines have either resumed or commenced new flights to the destination.

Turkish Airlines will be flying to Seychelles with a wide-bodied A330-300 aircraft, with a seating capacity of 289 seats – 28 in Business Class and 261 in Economy.

All passengers boarding the flights to Seychelles will be required to test negative 72hrs before departure. No quarantine is required upon arrival at the destination.

With the majority of Seychelles’ main source markets either under full or partial lockdown, the Central and Eastern Europe regions have been very much on the radar and Turkish Airlines’ announcement of its return to the islands has been greeted with much enthusiasm by the local trade.

The Chief Executive of the Seychelles Tourism, Sherin Francis, said the airline has always been a reliable and popular carrier for the Central and Eastern Europe markets, and its return will help re-stimulate valuable traffic from there.

“The flight on 23rd April will mark the re-start of Turkish Airlines’ inbound commercial flights to Seychelles after a period of suspension due to the pandemic. Its return to our shores will now provide more choice to passengers travelling to Seychelles, especially from Central and Eastern Europe.

“With Turkish Airlines being a favourite for passengers from that region, we expect to see a positive pick up in visitors from there, especially from the markets which have been waiting for Seychelles to open up,” she said.

On his part, Fatih Mehmet Kursun, General Manager of Turkish Airlines for Seychelles said; “We are very excited to be returning to Seychelles after a long, mandatory break. Resuming our flights to the islands already had a huge impact on the market. We are very pleased with the demand we have received from Central and Eastern Europe so far and we are looking forward to our first flight on the 23rd of April, 2021.”

More news about Seychelles

#rebuildingtravel

MEDIA CONTACT: STB News Bureau, Tel: +248 4 671 354 / +248 4 671 313, [email protected]   

United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) prepares for Spring 2020 Out-of-country board meeting in Malta

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Terry Dale, USTOA President & CEO, accompanied by Michelle Buttigieg, Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) representative North America, returned from a site inspection in preparation for USTOA’s 2020 Out-Of-Country Board Meeting April 25 – May 1 in Malta. The host hotel will be thefive-star Corinthia Palace and Turkish Airlines is the official USTOA Malta Board Meeting air carrier.

Terry Dale reported that “the host committee, led by Michelle Buttigieg, is extremely well organized and the program that is being prepared is truly amazing.” Dale added, “With every visit to Malta, I continue to discover and delight in this Mediterranean archipelago’s wealth of history and culture. I am convinced that our USTOA Board members will have a one-of-a-kind experience” said Dale  .

To add to the excitement of Malta itself, Dale noted “the USTOA Board members will find that the Corinthia Palace, a property itself steeped in history, reflects the essence of the Maltese experience, warm hospitality from an extremely attentive staff, in a truly luxurious setting.” said Dale. “We are also very fortunate that we will have a special dining experience in the historic Villa Corinthia, with Corinthia’s well-known Maltese Executive Chef, Stefan Hogan.”  

Carlo Micallef, Deputy CEO and Chief Marketing Officer, MTA,  “We are confident that following their Malta experience, the USTOA Board Members will have a better understanding of why Malta has become so popular in the North American market, as well as experience first-hand, the professionalism of our DMCs and the world-class luxury of our hotels.” He added, “MTA is also appreciative of the strong support of the host committee made up of USTOA Maltese members, Alpine Sterling, Exclusively Malta and United Travel Group. MTA also recognizes the great support from the host hotel, Corinthia Palace as well as the Official Air Carrier, Turkish Airlines.”

About Malta

The sunny islands of Malta, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, are home to a most remarkable concentration of intact built heritage, including the highest density of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in any nation-state anywhere.  Valletta built by the proud Knights of St. John is one of the UNESCO sights and was a European Capital of Culture for 2018. Malta’s patrimony in stone ranges from the oldest free-standing stone architecture in the world, to one of the British Empire’s most formidable defensive systems, and includes a rich mix of domestic, religious and military architecture from the ancient, medieval and early modern periods. With superbly sunny weather, attractive beaches, a thriving nightlife and 7,000 years of intriguing history, there is a great deal to see and do.

For Further Information and Photography: www.visitmalta.com

Villa Corinthia, Corinthia Palace
Battery Street, Valletta

About USTOA 

Representing nearly $19 billion in revenue, the member companies of U.S. Tour Operators Association provide tours, packages and custom arrangements that allow 9.8 million travelers annually unparalleled access, insider knowledge, peace-of-mind, value and freedom to enjoy destinations and experiences across the entire globe. Each member company has met the travel industry’s highest standards, including participation in the USTOA’s Travelers Assistance Program, which protects consumer payments up to $1 million if the company goes out of business.  As a voice for the tour operator industry for more than 40 years, USTOA also provides education and assistance for consumers and travel agents. www.ustoa.com

About Corinthia Palace

Originally opened as a restaurant and transformed into Corinthia’s founding hotel in 1968, Corinthia Palace in Attard has become a legendary part of Malta – a see and be seen destination. The San Anton Palace and its glorious gardens are a few moments away, but the hotel grounds themselves are idyllic. Alfresco dining is championed come summertime with The Summer Kitchen complementing the sun-soaked days and balmy evenings. An elegant residence with 147 charming rooms and suites, the real magic of Malta can be observed from the comfort of this tranquil hotel. For more information visit corinthia.com/palace, @corinthiapalace on Twitter, @CorinthiaPalaceHotel on Facebook and @corinthiapalace on Instagram.

About Turkish Airlines

Established in 1933 with a fleet of five aircraft, Star Alliance member Turkish Airlines has a fleet of 337 (passenger and cargo) aircraft flying to 311 worldwide destinations as 261 international and 50 domestic, in 124 countries. More information about Turkish Airlines can be found on its official website www.turkishairlines.com or its social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram.

Malta Tourism Authority:

Michelle Buttigieg, Representative North America

Tel: (212) 213-0944

Fax: (212) 213-0938

E-mail: [email protected]

MTA US/Canada Editorial Contact:

The Bradford Group

Karen Hoffman/Amanda Benedetto

Tel: (212) 447-0027

Fax: (212) 725 8253 E-mail: [email protected]

Airbus to attend Turkey’s IDEF 2019

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Airbus will attend Turkey’s IDEF 2019, 14th International Defense Industry Fair, held at TÜYAP Fair and Congress Center in Büyükçekmece, Istanbul from April 30th to May 3rd.

At the exhibition Hall 2, Stand 234, Airbus will display a range of innovative defence and security products and services, including military aircraft and helicopters, perfectly in line with the aspirations of the Turkish Armed Forces in regard with the recently launched modernization programs.

Airbus will showcase a scale model of the A330 MRTT – the only new generation strategic tanker/transport aircraft combat proven and available today. The large 111 tonnes basic fuel capacity of the successful A330-200 airliner enables the A330 MRTT to excel in air-to-air refuelling missions without the need for any additional fuel tank.

Also on display, the scale mock up of the C295 in Maritime Patrol Aircraft configuration – a very robust and reliable, highly versatile tactical airlifter able to carry up to 9 tonnes of payload, at a maximum cruise speed of 480 km/h. Fitted with a retractable landing gear and a pressurised cabin, it can cruise at altitudes up to 25,000 ft, while retaining remarkable short take-off & landing (STOL) performance from unprepared, short, or soft airstrips, as well as excellent low level flight characteristics.

A scale mock up of the Astrobus S Earth observation satellite will be on show. The latest generation of Earth Observation Satellites for Very High Resolution (VHR) applications, it combines the advantages of a low-mass system (around 400 kg only) with the strong performance of a larger Earth observation satellite platform.

Turkey is a key partner for Airbus. With nearly 30 years of successful collaboration in civil and military aviation, Airbus is committed to long-term, mutually-beneficial industrial cooperation, working closer with its partners and customers as flag carrier Turkish Airlines, the Ministry of Defense and Presidency of Defense Industries, as well as Turkey’s air force, navy and coast guard.

Travel News | eTurboNews

Turkish Airlines adds Marrakech to flight schedule

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Starting on April 15, Istanbul – Marrakech – Istanbul direct flights will be commenced five days of a week as Turkish Airlines reinforces its title of flying to more international destinations than any other airline.

Successfully completing its “Great Move” process and transferring all of its passenger operations to its new hub, Istanbul Airport, Turkish Airlines now adds Marrakech, tourist city of Morocco, to its flight network. As the national flag carrier’s first inaugural flight from its new home, Marrakech became Turkish Airlines’ the second destination in Morocco while becoming its 308th destination globally.

The inaugural flight from Istanbul Airport, landed in Marrakech Menara Airport, was welcomed by the customary water cannon salute in a formal ceremony, to which attended by the executives both from the global carrier and Marrakech Menara Airport, and press members as well.

Commenting on this inaugural flight, Turkish Airlines Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Ahmet Olmuştur stated that; “With Istanbul Airport, a new era has begun in the global aviation. Our new operation center offers an important opportunity for us to develop our globally unparalleled flight network performance even further. Thus, we are working on new strategies to capitalize on this opportunity. Marrakech will always hold a special place for us as it is the first destination we added from our new home. We are happy to carry our passengers to this crimson city with our privileged travel experience.”

Known as the “Crimson City” due to the color of its soil, Marrakech offers tourists and travelers the opportunity to experience the entire allure of North Africa in a single location. Bringing historical buildings, famous mosques and colorful flower gardens together at the foothills of Atlas Mountains, Marrakech is well on its way to become one of the favorite tourism centers of the world. As the first capital of Morocco, whose name means “Land of God” in the Berber language, Marrakech’s streets are teeming with the historical heritage of various cultures.

Passengers, travelling to Marrakech with the privileged travel experience of Turkish Airlines, will be able to visit various significant locations for cultural tourism while experiencing different activities such as nature and wildlife tours.

Istanbul – Marrakech – Istanbul scheduled flight times beginning from 15th April 2019;

Flight No. Days Departure Arrival
TK 619 Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday IST 11:30 RAK 14:30
TK 620 Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday RAK 15:25 IST 22:05

All times are in LMT.

To view the flight schedules, please visit turkishairlines.com or contact the call center at +90 212 444 0849 or visit any TK sales office.

Travel News | eTurboNews