Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris

eaches and other facilities.
We must .make it c1elltthat
the lives pf people from. all
over the "world, and especially
the greater numbers
who come from Europe, will
be in danger."
When asked about holidays
to Turkey, none of the
travel agents we approached
mentioned the threat. Peter
Espley, press counsellor at
the Turkish tourist office in
London,said:"The [Turkish)
government is giving the
issue high priority. There
are greatly increased security
measures in tourist
areas."
He pointed out that statistically
Turkey was one of the
safest holiday destinations
for European tourists: 18
were killed in Florida alone
last year. "However, I must
stress that people should be
vigilant at all times," he said.
His warning was backed
bythe Association of British
!rayel Agents. It warns of
"wilfe~pread terrorism in
soùthéàst Turkey".
The Turkish government
did not respond to requests
for a comqlent on the issue.
~
~
Ö
tr:I
~
~
~
::tl
~
~
~
~
txl
tr:I
::tl
::t
~
~
~ "t:l
tr:I'
~
~
~
Vl
~
~
6tr:I
Z
~
o
~
s:
"tl
::tl
~
>
~
~
0:
N
tr:I
'"i
-.
..
. ,
The European. June 15, 1995
A
KURDISH mother
and child sit in the
ruins of their home in
southeast Turkey, laid
waste by government soldiers.
"Marvellous holidays
in Turkey! Visit our attractions!,"
reads the headline
on the poster.
Soon to appear in European
cities, the image is part
of an anti-tourist campaign
by the Kurdish Workers'
Party (PKK), which has been
fighting the Turkish government
since 1984 for an independent
Kurdish nation. The
campaign is designed to cut
a swathe through Turkey's
burgeoning tourist industry.
But the posters are just
the gloss on a more sinister
threat. PKK sources told
The European: "If tourists
ignore our message and
come on holiday to Turkey
they will be targets. We will
bomb tourist areas." Last
year bombs exploded in
resorts on the Mediterranean
coast, while in Istanbul
three people were killed and
many more wounded.
Of the 2.5 million Euro-
~eans who visited Turkey in
A PKK campaign is
warning visitors away
from Turkey, reports
Richard Wayman
1994, almost half came from
Germany. They spent a total
of $4.5 billion in hard currency,
cash which Turkey's
fragile economy can illafford
to lose. A parliamentary
report from late 1994
said that Turkey spent at
least $6.5 billion a year on
its war with the PKK,
fuelling hyperinflation.
Ironically, it is this hyperinflation
which attracts
tourists. The exchange tates
are now so favourable that
they receive an extra 32 per
cent spending money compared
with last year. As a
result, Turkey has leapt to
number two among Britain's
most popular destinations,
according to tour operator
Lunn Poly. In Germany,
Belgium and Scandinavia,
however, bookings are down
by between 20 and 30 per
cent, largely because of
active Kurdish minorities.
Kurds sentence tourism to death
Holiday snap: marchers in London pass a poster alerting tourists to strife in southeast Turkey
Desmond Fernandez, head overwhelmed by highly statement to the press and
of the institute of tourism colourful and visually stun- tour operators reads: "The
and development studies at ning tourist office advertise- PKK has decided to undt'rthe
University of Bedford in ments. Images of this nature take general action agaimt
England, has accused tour sigruficantly influence public the tourist economy. "We
operators of "wilful and opinion and are used to mar- have plans of action in .tue
shocking irresponsibility" in ket and sell the package hol- Aegean, Mediterranean and"
failing to alert prospective idays which entice millions the Sea of Marmara, and in
tourists to the dangers. He of Europeans to Turkey." Kurdistan. This inclu~es
said: "Over and again one is The secessionist rebels' tourist areas, hotels,
-l::..
\0