After observing our religious holiday of Eid al-Fitr, attention now turns to the Islamic world’s preparations for Eid al-Adha. Some people plan to spend the holiday in their hometowns, while others intend to stay home and handle sacrificial duties. Many citizens also view the holiday as an opportunity to escape city and work fatigue by traveling to vacation spots. Whatever their plans, employees who want to fully enjoy the holiday are awaiting the decisions expected at today’s Cabinet meeting.
When Is Eid al-Adha?
This year Eid al-Adha will be celebrated from September 1 to September 4. August 31 is the eve (Arafa) day. From the eve onward, the holiday dates fall on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday.
Will the Eid al-Adha Holiday Be 10 Days?
The question most on the minds of workers and tourism operators is whether the holiday will be extended to 10 days as it has been in past years. Although Eid al-Adha falls near a weekend this year, August 30 (Victory Day) occurs mid-week and the eve day follows August 30, creating a favorable situation for combining holidays. For these reasons, expectations lean toward a 10-day holiday.
What Did the President and Prime Minister Say About the Holiday?
Regarding the Eid al-Adha holiday, President Erdoğan said: “Our government has included this 10-day period in its program and is working on it. If the conditions before and after are truly suitable, it would be beneficial for tourism; both domestic and international tourism are already active — for example, Antalya has reached about 80% occupancy as of today — which would quickly help close the gap in the tourism sector. I believe we have a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday; we will hold it at the Presidency. I think this would be a positive step.”
Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım commented that the issue would be evaluated at the Cabinet meeting chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday. “A decision will come out of that meeting. There are two options… One segment of society says ‘let’s continue working,’ while others propose ‘let’s extend the holiday’ to make better use of the tourism season. The pros and cons of both will be assessed and a decision will be made on Tuesday,” he said.
Important Days and Official Holidays Observed in Our Country
Religious Holidays
- Eid al-Fitr: 3 days of holiday plus a half-day eve
- Eid al-Adha: 4 days of holiday plus a half-day eve
National Holidays
- April 23 National Sovereignty and Children’s Day: 1 day
- May 19 Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day: 1 day
- August 30 Victory Day: 1 day
- October 29 Republic Day: 1 day and a half-day eve
Commemoration and Other Holidays
- July 15 Democracy and National Unity Day: 1 day
- January 1 New Year’s Day: 1 day
- May 1 Labor and Solidarity Day: 1 day