Turkish tour operators are expecting an influx of European tourists in the coming months.
“This winter we expect more tourists than in previous years,” said Cem Polatoglu, spokesman for the travel business association Tur Operatörleri Platformu, the German Press Agency. “During the pandemic, people couldn’t go on vacation for a long time.” Now it is as if “they had broken their chains”. Due to the corona pandemic, travel restrictions were in place for a long time.
High energy costs in Europe
The high energy costs in Europe also lead to an increase in reservations in the winter time – especially for cheap accommodation. “It is positive for the tourism sector that European tourists – especially retirees – prefer long vacations in Turkey during the winter months due to the rise in natural gas prices,” said Ali Onaran, chairman of tour operator Prontotour. “According to our information, there is a particular demand from countries such as Germany, England and the Netherlands.”
Onaran said it was gratifying that winter reservations went up despite global inflation. “There are developments such as rising fuel costs, energy spending, food crises that are affecting ticket and hotel prices and therefore the overall travel budget.” Nevertheless, the booking status meets the expectations of the tour operators.
Cheap vacation
According to association spokesman Polatoglu, the weak Turkish lira – a trigger for the dramatically high inflation in Turkey – could also be an incentive for bookings. A month with an all-inclusive holiday in a five-star hotel is currently cheaper for travelers than spending the time in Europe. “And with much more comfort than at home”.
The Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism recently announced that significantly more foreign tourists traveled to Turkey in the first eight months of this year than in the same period last year. Around 29.3 million holidaymakers came to the country between January and August – an increase of around 108 percent compared to the same period in 2021. German visitors made up the top group with around 3.9 million.
