Hesitant on Turkey 2016?

[patrice]

Same here Cavfan  booked for May but if things deteriorate I will cancel .

[Scunner]

It is a little surprising that so many say that they will be going unless the FCO advise against it. This is surely a decision WE need to take, it isn't safe/unsafe because the Foreign Office say so.

If we don't end up going it will be because we have weighed up the situation and made a balanced decision. Not because some government department who are no more specialists in Turkey than they are in any other country in the World said so.

[JohnF]

The problem is that if the FCO issue advice against travel, your travel insurance becomes invalid. 

It wouldn't be the first time we've been somewhere the FCO advise against going, but travelling with kids and no insurance is something we'd never do.

JF

[Scunner]

I agree with all of that - my point is that we, the people who know Turkey, should decide whether it is safe to go or not. If the FCO say it isn't, maybe we think it is (insurance point taken). And if the FCO decide it is safe, we might know better.

Making the choice based on what the FCO think seems ludicrous to me (insurance point taken   )

[JohnF]

Funnily enough, I agree with all of that (wot you said), and am happy to take responsibility for my own safety irrespective of FCO advice.  Unfortunately the type of person we want to see visiting Turkey wont - if the FCO say dont go, they wont.

So I suppose your question is "do we, as regular travellers to Turkey know better than the FCO?".   Maybe we do, maybe we don't - but the problem is that the FCO always err on the side of caution and it is their view that insurers go by.

One thing I do know is that if the FCO advise against travel to Turkey/Istanbul and I have a meeting scheduled at the office then I wont be missing it over a travel advisory.  I don't think I'll be hanging about places like Taksim Square, but will still travel.

JF

[puma]

going may/june and in aug/sep and then eygpt dec/jan nothing will put me off

[Scunner]

I'm sure there are scenarios that might

[Highlander]

I assume that the FCO are privy to more information on security threats than members of CBF (or other forums     ).

For me it's the first responsibility of government to protect it's people and if that includes advice on foreign travel then so be it.

It is surely reasonable for insurance companies to take that advice or impose premiums accordingly. Who else can they base their judgments on.

That having been said, the FCO have as much of a clue as to where the next attack will happen as I do.

[trainer]

There’s a lot to take in to consideration when traveling abroad especially if you have a family in tow even without having to think about terrorism so I can see why people won’t go. The wife and I were thinking of going mid-march but we would have to pass through Istanbul but after what happened we may reconsider which will be disappointing as I love Istanbul

[littlereddevil]

I too love Istanbul but I don't think I will ever go back there.