Free Republic

Turkish PM Ahmed Davutoglu said the government expects Russian tourists to come despite tensions between Ankara and Moscow, as shrinkage in the sector was "unexpected." Russia earlier urged tourists not to visit Turkey, citing security concerns. Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Davutoglu announced an action plan to provide support for the tourism industry, including an $87-million government grant and setting up a facility to allow travel firms to restructure their debts. "We believe Russian tourists will start coming back to Turkey," he was quoted as saying by the Daily Sabah, an English-language newspaper published in Turkey. Davutoglu added...

Germany’s AIDA Cruises has adjusted its 2016 deployment in Europe, opting to pull the AIDAstella from the Eastern Mediterranean due to “ongoing security concerns” in Turkey. The 2013-built AIDAstella will now be re-deployed to the Western Mediterranean, taking over the routes of the AIDAaura and sailing from Palma de Mallorca in Spain, according to a written statement issued by the company on Jan. 29. It said the move came as a result of the large number of inquiries from guests concerned following the Jan. 12 bomb attack in Istanbul that killed 11 German tourists. The AIDAstella was originally scheduled on...