The local skiers arriving in a continuous stream to Turkey’s mountain resorts during school semester breaks probably thought the mountaintops would be a good place to escape from COVID-19 restrictions in the cities — and perhaps get together in the open air. But as soon as the footage of parties crowded with parka-clad socialites hit social media, Turkey’s ever-watchful Interior Ministry cut the good times short.
On Jan. 26, the Interior Ministry sent out regulations on pandemic measures to their local offices and urged them to get the ski hotels to toe the line on COVID-19 measures across the country: no music after 11:00, no crowded gatherings at restaurants or bars even if outdoors, no organized parties and strict enforcement of face masks for all the guests at hotels. It also declared that the weekend lockdowns in the rest of the country apply to ski resorts.
