The recent bird flu outbreak in Turkey has not affected a single tourist, and does not justify any travel restrictions, Francesco Frangialli, head of the World Tourism Organization told the press on Thursday.
The secretary general of the Madrid-based organization warned against underestimating the impact of new bird flu cases, but said "it is premature to talk of a crisis in Turkish tourism or in any other country."
Health authorities of Turkey have announced three people killed by bird flu virus and more than 10 others in the country affected by the disease.
The World Tourism Organization has been in touch with other tourism organizations and the World Health Organization to keep an eye on bird flu's development and guarantee the tourism community to get prepared for its possible spread, Frangialli said.
He said, however, the current situation does not justify travel restrictions -- neither against any destination, nor against business or leisure trips. Although new cases of bird flu have been registered in humans, person-to-person transmission has not yet been seen anywhere, he added.
Frangialli urged tourists and residents of the affected areas to follow recommendations by health authorities, and by local and national veterinary authorities.