Turkish citizens wishing to spend Eid-al-Adha, also known as the Qurban Bayram holiday, at the Greek islands reaped the awards of the special on-arrival visa, flocking in thousands to the gates, according to a report Tuesday.
Over 50,000 citizens visited the islands during the nine-day holiday period, said Kıvanç Meriç, president of the Izmir BTK branch of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB).
The on-arrival visa application for Turkish citizens traveling to the Greek islands garnered significant interest during the period.
The limited-access visa that entered into force earlier in spring allows Turks to visit 10 Greek islands for up to a week without having to apply for full access to the European Union’s passport-free travel zone, known as the Schengen Area.
Meriç noted that it was evident even before the holiday that it would be very busy. "Especially regarding the on-arrival visa, quotas were filled days in advance, and there were days when they were suspended, with no further visas accepted."
"This has been reflected in the numbers during this holiday period. Approximately 1,500-2,500 people crossed to the islands daily," he said.
"According to the figures from Greece, 13,000 visited the island of Lesbos, 15,000 visited Samos, and 11,000 visited Chios," Meriç explained.
"The islands have become trendy, there's a significant flow. The advantage brought by the on-arrival visa is that it makes it easier for citizens to obtain visas. Citizens took advantage of this opportunity," he added.
"The islands are probably breaking all-time records right now. It seems they will end the year with a big record."
Furthermore, Meriç stated that islands with direct connections were more visited, citing that additional lines were reinforced to some of them such Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Kos and Rhodes.
"There wasn't such density on all 10 islands. The numbers were lower on other islands due to fewer voyages. Over 50,000 citizens visited all 10 islands during the holiday," he said.
The on-arrival visa created excitement, according to Meriç. "It's not as difficult as applying for a Schengen visa. The paperwork is much less. But, of course, you can only stay for seven days and six nights," he noted.
"There's no inter-island travel. But the waiting times are less," he added.
Meriç compared the two types of visas and explained that while for a Schengen visa one needs to wait for months, for an on-arrival visa the procedures are completed within a week of submitting the required documents.
"But during the holiday period, our biggest fear was that waiting times for on-arrival visas would be long. Except for Rhodes, it went quite well on other islands," he said.
"We heard there were waits of up to 2.5 hours, but we also saw serious preparation on the islands. The holiday season is very busy. Such intensity doesn't happen all the time," he added.
"I believe waiting times will further decrease in the future."
In addition, Meriç also mentioned that a Schengen visa can be obtained for a price similar to that of an on-arrival visa, voicing the need for obtaining long-term visas.
"We want to get long-term visas from Schengen countries and travel around Europe. We're not very enthusiastic about on-arrival visas because the cost is between 80-100 euros ($85-$107), while Schengen visas cost between 100 and 150 euros," he outlined.
He concluded by drawing attention to lastingness and said, "It's cheaper if you apply yourself. If a six-month visa is granted, you can enter frequently, but an on-arrival visa is only valid for one visit to one island for seven days."