The Gallipoli peninsula has been eerily deserted for a second straight year on the eve of Anzac Day as Turkey suffers a coronavirus spike and Australians are banned from overseas travel.
Sunday marks the 106th anniversary of the landings at Gallipoli, a campaign which ultimately cost more than 8,700 Australian lives during World War I.
The sacred shores of Anzac Cove were traditionally packed with hundreds of Australians and New Zealand paying their respects at the annual Anzac Day dawn service until the coronavirus pandemic hit 2020.
While many dawn services and marches across Australia went ahead on Sunday for the first time since 2019, the traditional Gallipoli commemoration remains off limits.
Australians are one of our most loved visitors, Canakkale Tourism Association s Armagan Aydeger said. I started tourism from my childhood and we grew up with the Australian tourists. In those terms, we have very good friendships.
Just like in 2020, traditional Anzac ceremonies are cancelled with visitors nowhere to be seen.(9News)
What will happen in Gallipoli at dawn?
On the Peninsula tomorrow there will only be small private ceremonies.
But the area is vowing to be ready for their Australian friends 12 months from now. Things will be much better, Mr Aydeger told 9News. They are not like only visitors but very close friends for us and we are all very excited to see them in the next years.