Gallipoli 2011 & 2015 Updates

Dear Traveler,

We have been invited for a conference on the ANZAC commemoration arrangements last Friday ( 3 Dec 2010) by the Australian ANZAC Organisation who are in charge with the arrangements in  Gallipoli together with the Turkish Authorities. Please find a report  prepared  below . It is essential  that  we all read the following report and  be aware that visiting the sites on the dates indicated below to avoid any possible issues.

We have been advised that on 24th April 2011 Gallipoli area will not be open for any sightseing tours due to some expected Australian/New Zealander VIP's touring in Gallipoli area on that day.

The visitors who will participate the Anzac Dawn Service and stay overnight in the Anzac Cove will be allowed to the site only after 06:00 PM on the 24th April 2011. Any sort of sightseeing will not be possible at that time and after either, as the site closes at 6 PM and it gets dark already.

Sightseeing in Gallipoli area will only be possible after 02:00 PM on the 25th April 2011 (after the visitors who attended the services are evacuated from the area).

***Please note above timings are still subject to change as Turkish Gendarmarie Forces who are in charge with the security of the site has got the right to change all timings and permissions when they decide it is necessary.

So we would like to repeat that we will not be able to offer any sightseeing tours in Gallipoli Area on the 24th April 2011 due to the above precautions announced to us by the local authorities.

We would like to especially inform our esteemed partners and clients about 2015 ANZAC arrangements as we have been asked a lot of questions.

Please note that the officialls warned us that no decisions have been made for the arrangements in 2015 yet. But there are many ideas concerned. With knowing that there will be many peaople from all over the world would like to attend that event and the site has a limited number of people capacity and Gallipoli is already a National Park area with strict rules (which enabled it to stay as it is so far) the conditions to participate that event may change dramatically. As there will be VIP's from all around the world (most of the Commonwealth Countries and the others) a considerable number of visitors in 2015 will be politicians, burocrats, officials, soldiers etc. Also Turkish Government will surely receive official requests from some other countries, organisations etc. to participate the event directly which we can not guess today.  The security level then will be ultimate. And of course this will influence the visits to the area negatively.

We would like to share the words of Australian Officials with you :

‘'Without any knowledge about  these conditions to visit Gallipoli during the ANZAC Period in 2015 organizing itineraries and even selling them to the clients is nothing more than a good wish. No one can promise or guarantee that they will definetely have the chance to fullfill the itineraries they propose or even enter Gallipoli Area on the 24th April 2015 . Also it is not for sure that all the visitors may have the chance to attend the Dawn Ceremony in Anzac Cove as we think we can not accomodate all participants in there. Therefore some may need to stay in Lone Pine or Chunuk Bair instead (they are thinking of putting big screens to watch the ceremony) . Therefore we are unable to inform you about how the conditions will be in 2015 and so you can make your arrangements and design your itineraries now. These will be planned and advised within the following years ‘'