Australian tourists have recently been warned to be vigilant about "unusually cheap alcoholic beverages" while traveling in Turkey, due to a surge in methanol poisoning incidents in the country. The Australian government's Smartraveller website has updated its travel advice, urging tourists to exercise "a high degree of caution," citing reasons including the threat of terrorism and the increasing prevalence of counterfeit drinks.
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03-26, 2025The drink warning is specifically targeted at Istanbul and Ankara. According to Reuters, more than 100 people have died in Ankara and Istanbul this year from alcohol poisoning caused by drinking illegal alcohol. Smartraveller warns: "There have been recent reports of deaths in Istanbul and Ankara due to counterfeit drinks containing methanol."
The warning advises tourists to "choose reputable venues and be wary of unusually cheap alcoholic drinks." Methanol is a colorless liquid chemical widely used in thousands of everyday products, such as plastics, paints, cosmetics, and fuels. It is often deliberately and illegally added to alcoholic beverages as a cheap substitute for ethanol.
Last November, Melbourne teenagers Bianca Jones and Holly Bowers died after drinking contaminated alcohol in the Lao tourist town of Vang Vieng, becoming two of six victims. At the time, they were backpacking in Laos with friends. This updated travel advice comes as the Australian Federal Government launches a new tourism campaign aimed at raising awareness of the risks of drinking alcohol overseas, including the risk of methanol poisoning.
