"Cancellation Fee 100%?" Concerns Among Turkey Travelers

Epicenter and Major Tourist Sites Far Apart but Still Unstable
Cancellation Penalties Hinder Travelers... Travel Industry Also in Dilemma

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck T?rkiye and Syria on the 6th (local time), followed by hundreds of aftershocks, resulting in thousands of deaths, throwing those planning to travel to T?rkiye into confusion.

Concerns about possible aftershocks are high, but canceling airline tickets or travel packages involves significant fees and penalties, leaving travelers stuck in a difficult situation.

The World Health Organization (WHO) predicted that in the worst-case scenario, the death toll from this earthquake could exceed 20,000.
[Photo by Kim Dahee, Asia Economy]

The initial earthquake in T?rkiye occurred in Kahramanmara? in the southeastern region bordering Syria, which has been practically classified as a 'no-tourism zone.' It is about 400 km away from Cappadocia, a popular destination for Korean tourists, and approximately 1,000 km from Istanbul.

However, the shallow depth of about 18 km and aftershocks occurring even in western areas such as Adana mean the situation remains unsafe. As of the 8th (local time), the death toll in southern T?rkiye and northern Syria border areas has exceeded 8,700, with estimates suggesting the total deaths from this earthquake could surpass 20,000. This has increased worries among those planning trips.

On the 20th, ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 was crowded with travelers preparing to depart. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

On the Naver European travel cafe 'Yurang,' which has 2.18 million members, posts expressing concerns about traveling to T?rkiye after the earthquake have been appearing.

User A said, "I booked a package tour to visit T?rkiye for a week starting on the 13th through a travel agency, but when I inquired, they said the cancellation fee is 100%," adding, "With only a week left and the possibility of aftershocks, I don't know if it's right to just ignore the risk and go because the cancellation fee is too costly."

Another user, B, expressed concern, saying, "My departure is on the 15th, but the travel agency says cancellations are not allowed," and added, "I'm supposed to leave next weekend, but the heavy earthquake damage weighs on my mind."

There are also posts about canceling trips to T?rkiye. User C said, "A local friend advised me that it would be better not to come now, so I canceled everything," and added, "Since the flights are not canceled, I decided to go directly to another country via Istanbul Airport."

The Troubled Travel Industry: "It Is Difficult for Travel Agencies to Waive Cancellation Fees Unilaterally"

On the 20th, ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday, travelers visiting the domestic terminal at Gimpo Airport in Seoul are moving towards the boarding gates. Photo by Jin-Hyung Kang aymsdream@

Not only travelers who booked trips but also the travel industry is in a difficult position.

A travel agency official said, "Cancellation inquiries have somewhat increased," but added, "Since T?rkiye does not have many winter travelers to begin with, the cancellation rate is not significant." Another travel agency official said, "The group cancellation rate for departures this week is not high," and explained, "New bookings for March and April, which are close to departure dates, have slightly decreased, but bookings for April to June, which are further away, are filling up."

According to travel agencies, the main tourist route for Koreans in T?rkiye runs from Istanbul to Cappadocia. Among these, Cappadocia, the easternmost point, and the epicenter Gaziantep are more than 400 km apart. This distance is comparable to that between Seoul and Busan, so the industry explains that traveling is not significantly affected. For this reason, cancellation fees are applied according to the usual standards.

Regarding this, a travel agency official explained, "Since airlines and local hotels are not waiving cancellation fees separately, it is difficult for travel agencies to unilaterally waive cancellation fees."

Meanwhile, according to the 'Overseas Safety Travel' website operated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a special travel advisory was immediately issued for some southeastern regions of T?rkiye due to the earthquake.

The six provinces of Kahramanmara?, Malatya, Adıyaman, Osmaniye, Adana, and Hatay, which were previously Level 1 (Travel Caution) areas, are now advised for travelers to cancel or postpone trips unless for urgent reasons. The four other affected provinces?Diyarbakır, ?anlıurfa, Gaziantep, and Kilis?are already Level 3 (Departure Recommended) areas.

The Korean Embassy in T?rkiye stated, "A magnitude 7.4 earthquake occurred in southeastern Kahramanmara? on the 6th, and earthquake damage has been reported in Gaziantep, Malatya, Batman, Bing?l, Elazı?, Kilis, Adıyaman, Diyarbakır, Mardin, Siirt, ?ırnak, Van, Mu?, Bitlis, Hakkari, Adana, Osmaniye, and Hatay," and advised, "Since aftershocks continue, those planning to visit are urged to cancel their trips."