SERVICE BY APPOINTMENT IN SEA TOURISM

The Ministry of Health updated the ‘Epidemic Management and Working Guide‘ and added the following titles: ’precautions to be taken in air conditioning systems‘, ’precautions to be taken in dormitories affiliated to the Credit and Dormitories Institution (KYK)‘, ’precautions to be taken in recreational boats such as boats, yachts, touristic sea vessels and touristic angling‘, ’precautions to be taken in exhibitions'.

Within the scope of the added title, boats providing touristic services will work with an appointment system. The names, contact information, entry and exit times of passengers will be recorded in order to track the coronavirus. The activities of Turkish-flagged commercial yachts will be carried out with their current capacity if the tour is made with a closed group (family, close relatives and friends), and the number of passengers in vehicles where different groups are accepted will be at most half of the boat capacity. Arrangements will be made so that there is at least 1 meter distance between seating and sunbathing areas.

The full text of the practices included in the guidance published by the Ministry is as follows:

Boats should operate on an appointment system. Passengers' names, contact information (hotel names for hotel customers), entry/exit times must be recorded for COVID-19 contact tracing. Records should be kept for at least 14 days.
Before each group boarding the boat, general cleaning should be done and surfaces with intense hand and body contact (seats, door handles, WCs, hand holding points, etc.) should be disinfected.
Information explaining the rules expected to be followed in sea vehicles should be posted in a visible place. This information should include a warning that guests with symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, respiratory distress should not enter. It should be ensured that guests know the rules.
COVID-19 cases or contacts with symptoms of fever, cough, runny nose, respiratory distress should not be taken on boats. They should be directed to a health institution by wearing a medical mask.
Tekne girişlerinde ve uygun yerlerde alkol bazlı el antiseptiği veya en az %70’lik alkol içeren kolonya bulundurulmalı, her misafirin tekneye girerken antiseptik kullanması sağlanmalıdır.
Social distancing rules (at least 1 meter) must be observed at entrances and exits and in areas inside the boat. Signs regarding social distancing should be affixed where necessary. All general use areas such as seating/waiting/eating-drinking arrangements and shades/lounger groups are arranged in accordance with the social distancing plan, necessary precautions regarding social distancing are taken, markings are made, the number of guests in accordance with this plan is accepted and capacity information is posted in a visible place at the entrance of the establishment.
The activities of Turkish flagged commercial yachts should be carried out with their existing capacity in case the tour is carried out with a closed group (family, close relatives and friends), and the number of passengers should be at most half of the boat capacity in vehicles where different groups are accepted.
Private marine tourism vessels, which accept groups and families with the same reservation, operate with their existing capacities in accordance with the social distance plan. If the guests stay at the accommodation facility at the end of the tour, information regarding this is received.
Arrangements should be made so that there is at least 1 meter distance between seating and sunbathing areas. Seating arrangement should not be face to face, diagonal seating should be preferred. Attention should be paid to the social distance (at least 1 meter) between individuals.
Entertainment organizations where social distance cannot be maintained should not be organized.
After the kitchen shopping, the materials should be cleaned and taken to the kitchen.
Cooking areas such as barbecues etc. should not be created in another part of the vehicle other than the kitchen.
When eating or drinking water/tea/coffee, seating and/or eating and drinking arrangements should be made so that the distance is at least 1 meter as the mask will be removed. Meals should preferably be served as rations. Arrangements should be made to enable the implementation of personal hygiene rules such as washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds before and after meals and drying hands with a disposable towel. It should be ensured that spices, toothpicks, salt, spoons, forks, knives, glasses, etc. are provided for single use. Personal hygiene rules must be followed and masks must be worn during food preparation and distribution.
During breaks in ports, masks should be worn, hand hygiene and social distancing rules should be followed.
Tubes, balance vests, life jackets and similar equipment used in underwater and overwater sporting activities for tourism purposes should only be used by one person during the activity and should be disinfected after use.
Employees who develop symptoms of fever, cough, runny nose, respiratory distress while at sea should be isolated in a separate section from other personnel and customers, if any, and when they return to the port, they should be directed to a health institution to be evaluated for COVID-19 by wearing a medical mask.