Should I cancel my Turkey holiday? Concerns after Foreign Office safety warning

THOUSANDS of Brits are due to fly out to Turkey this month for their summer holiday.

But many will now be worrying whether they should still make the trip after the Foreign Office issued warnings over travelling to the country.

FCO advice to tourists travelling to Turkey is to avoid large gatherings in light of the upcoming elections.

A notice on its website reads: “Presidential and parliamentary elections will take place on 24 June 2018.

"This may result in rallies and demonstrations around the country."

The office advises against all but essential travel to anywhere within 6.2 miles of the border with Syria, but this has been the case for several years.

While popular holiday resorts like Dalaman, Bodrum and Antalaya are a considerable distance from this area, some holidaymakers will undoubtedly be looking to change their holidays - but their options will be limited.

A Foreign Office warning for a holiday destination does not mean customers can get a refund on booked flights, or even reschedule without being charged.

Brits looking to switch their flights to another destination may be able to do so with certain airlines, but they will incur a high fee.

The only time that tour operators are required to give a refund is if the Foreign Office changes its travel advice for a region and turns it into a no-go area, which they are extremely unlikely to do so in this case.

Some hotels allow free cancellation or at least a part refund, but it will depend on the agreement at the time of booking.

If a customer had booked on a hotel booking site like booking.com, they would only get their money back if they had reserved a room instead of paying upfront.

If you booked directly through the hotel and it is a large chain, it could be worth asking to change your stay to another location but they are under no obligation to grant this.

Holidaymakers will also be unable to claim a refund through their insurance policy, unless they have the correct cover.

It is worth noting though that Brits made more than 1.7 million visits to Turkey in 2016 and most visits are trouble free.

It is also important to bear in mind that the Foreign Office has not suggested that anyone cancel their trip, and has instead warned that people should be alert to their surroundings and vigilant in crowded places.