Turkish Airlines resumes ‘Touristanbul’

Turkish Airlines has resumed its "Touristanbul" complimentary service that had been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic for international transit passengers.

The service was relaunched on July 1, featuring six different tours each day, seven days per week.

Turkish Airlines passengers with a connecting international flight in Istanbul and a layover between six and 24 hours can benefit from the national flag carrier's complimentary service.

The Touristanbul service is provided free of charge. After landing at Istanbul Airport, passengers, accompanied by a guide, are picked up by a vehicle and driven back to the airport at the end of the tour, which covers visits to the city's most notable historical sites, such as the Sultanahmet Mosque, the Hagia Sophia Mosque and the Topkapı Palace.

Turkish Airlines' Touristanbul service is particularly popular with Russian, Indonesian and French travelers.

"We aim to increase the number of transit passenger numbers and give a boost to our market share with this privileged service we offer," said Ahmet Olmuştur, Turkish Airlines' chief marketing officer.

He recalled that the complimentary service had to be suspended in 2020 due to the pandemic.

"Some 349,738 travelers have benefited from the 'Touristanbul' program since 2009, and we are expecting 60,000 guests to join it by the end of the year," Olmuştur said.

Turkish Airlines flies to more than 330 destinations in nearly 130 countries.

It served 44.8 million passengers last year. In January-May 2022, the company carried a total of 24 million passengers, including 14.8 million international travelers.