As the summer tourism season kicked off, Turkey introduced new restrictions for passengers arriving from abroad as it seeks to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the new measure from the official authorities, passengers departing from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Brazil, South Africa, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be quarantined for 14 days in locations determined by the governorships, according to a statement shared by Turkish Airlines on Tuesday. Passengers who have been to these countries in the last 14 days will also be requested to submit a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test conducted a maximum of 72 hours before entering Turkey.

The flight bans to Brazil and South Africa ended (as of June 1) under this new measure, Turkey's national flag carrier stated. Passengers coming from the United Kingdom, Iran, Egypt and Singapore will be required to submit a negative result of their PCR tests conducted a maximum of 72 hours before entry. Passengers from other countries will not need to submit a negative PCR test result and will not be quarantined if they have been vaccinated at least 14 days prior to entering Turkey and/or have had the disease and recovered within the last six months.

"If passengers departing from these countries cannot submit a vaccine certificate or the documents proving that they have had the disease according to the stated rules, the submission of a PCR negative test result made a maximum 72 hours before the entrance to Turkey, or a negative rapid antigen test result made a maximum 48 hours before the entrance to Turkey will be deemed sufficient," it said.