Turkey, long known as a budget-friendly holiday destination, is now seeing a significant drop in tourism due to rising costs, leaving hotels vacant as tourists opt for Greece instead.
A travel expert told Express that it’s “unsurprising” that cost-conscious travellers are struggling with the increased prices and are “seeking a better deal.
Another has warned that Turkey will have a tough time in the coming years if it doesn’t restore its reputation as a “budget” destination.
Not only are foreign tourists deterred by the escalating prices, but Turkish holidaymakers are also shunning staycations. From April 1, Greece began issuing visas on arrival for Turkish visitors, allowing them to visit 10 Greek islands with an express visa for up to seven days.
In the first 10 days of April alone, the islands of Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Kos and Rhodes welcomed 20,690 Turkish tourists, many of whom would likely have holidayed in their home country in previous years.
Meanwhile, numerous hotel rooms in Turkish resorts remain unoccupied. Hamit Kuk, a leading advisor for the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies, previously told Express in August that some of the cheaper hotels in popular holiday destinations were only half-full, even during peak season, reports the Express.
Kuk divulged the latest figures, stating: “The average room occupancy rate in hotels in Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye and Antalya is currently around 80 percent,” and noted that contrary to some claims, there are no empty hotels or resorts. He lamented that previously, room occupancy rates hit 100 percent, but this has since dropped.
He went on to say that different categories of establishments would be winding down at separate times: “[I expect] two and three-star hotels to close in October, four-star hotels to close in mid-October and five-star hotels to remain open until the end of October.”
Mustafa Demir, Chairman of the TURSAB Regional Representation Board had previously informed Schengen. News about the cost pressures tourism businesses are under: “Since fixed costs, such as electricity, personnel and hotel rents are fixed, while other food, beverage and cleaning costs are variable, our hotelier colleagues made their calculations and made discounts so that at least the rooms would not remain empty, they could pay the staff and not lay them off.”
Current trends are also reflected by travel operators like easyJet and TUI who are displaying deals on their websites for instance, easyJet offers price reductions ranging from £100 to £200 which cover flights, accommodation and meals.
Concern is echoed among travel experts. Sarah Donaldson, Senior Travel Claims Analyst at Fast Cover Travel Insurance, outlined the primary issues, commenting to Express that: “We understand that hyperinflation remains the primary cause of Turkey’s struggling tourism sector, as even foreigners find it hard to justify the cost of accommodation and dining.”
“With nearby countries like Greece generally offering more affordable alternatives, it’s unsurprising that price-conscious travellers are seeking a better deal.”
Florian Wupperfeld, a world-leading social sustainability and placemaking expert and CEO of LCD Ventures, a UK-based destination innovation company, also expressed his concerns about the potential long-term implications of Turkey’s current situation.
He stated: “Turkey is a budget destination. The middle segment of people [that] feel the pinch with inflation are drying out faster than the luxury. The people with money still have money.”
Wupperfeld noted that Turkey excels in hard power tourism, which involves using incentives like work visas to attract visitors, as seen in Russia. However, it struggles with soft power tourism, a strategy that employs symbolic and effective means to influence global audiences.
According to Wupperfeld, tourism in Turkey “has become a hard power industry”. He warned that Turkey will face challenges in the future due to its focus on budget tourism.
On a more positive note, Ms Donaldson pointed out that there are signs of hope for Turkey’s tourism industry, citing the Turkish government’s report that inflation had dropped to below 52 percent in August, down from a peak of 75 percent in May, as reported by Reuters. “With the government expecting inflation to fall below 42 percent by the end of the year, travellers hoping to visit the region soon could potentially encounter more reasonable prices once interest rates begin to drop.”
“We understand that some Turkish officials also suggested that major sporting events held in Europe over the summer have contributed to a downturn in tourism. With the European Championship in Germany and the Paris Olympic Games attracting millions of visitors, many travellers ordinarily bound for Turkey might have had other plans in 2024.”
“We’ll have to wait and see how the next few months play out, but the Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy suggested tourism will slowly grow throughout September before a rapid increase as the economy improves. According to Ersoy, with just a 6 percent increase in tourism, Turkey can achieve its goal of 60 million annual visitors.”
SpyrosGatsouli on
I can’t believe that even with the value of the Lira plummeting and the skyrocketing prices of Greek tourism people still come to Greece. Have you been on holidays in Greece recently? Exactly, neither have I.
Party-Appointment-99 on
Currently, I am avoiding spending time and money in a musl1m country.
Struykert on
Why would you bring your money to erdogan? As long as that prick is in charge im not spending a dime in turkey.
tomba_be on
People shouldn’t go visiting countries ran by dictators.
Pustack on
Good, I’m sure the Russian tourists will fill that void right? Erdogan wants to have the cake and eat it at the same time and is upset when people actually vote with their wallets
Viserys4 on
I have not read the article yet but I’m already fairly certain that when I do, the Turkish reaction will be far from “panic”.
lvl_60 on
turkish tourist sector has shifted from hospitality and service to scamming and force.
I am not talking about all people working in tourism and HoReCa.
But the stuff i ve seen and the stuff i ve heard from friends and family is insane.
Lakuriqidites on
It is expensive as hell even when you use USD to compare.
Tourists are tourissts but is is becoming unbearable for the citizens.
wellthatshim on
I would also prefer greece for my holiday. they saw astronomic prices here and started to give us special visas.
GNS1991 on
Greece? Budget friendly? Yeah, right. I just came back from two-week trip to Rhodes, everything is just as pricey and everyone wants to fleece you for every dime you have just like everywhere else.
Educational_Will1963 on
oh no, if it isn’t the consequences of my own actions
Vonplinkplonk on
Are these German Car Manufacturers in the room with us now UK?
retr0grade77 on
Hm I find these articles dramatic. I was in Izmir this year and it was cheaper than Greek islands for sure. I was in Cesme too which wasn’t cheaper but I think this is one of the most expensive areas of Türkiye?
Are these authors maybe referring to tourists who want 14 days all inclusive for £300pp?
ClassicHoesby on
Finally some good fucking news
Mrstrawberry209 on
I thought Turkey was cheap? What gives?
Thisisnotsokrates on
As long as Erdogan is in charge I refuse to go to Turkey.
dax2001 on
Usual bullshit, nobody want the drunk hooligans , you guys behave too bad
mouxlas21 on
Oh cmon Turkiye, up your game please and keep them.
L1l_K1M on
I don’t understand anything. Shouldn’t it be cheaper for tourists due to currency depreciation?
Acceptable-Draft-163 on
If Greece opened up hair clinics, they’d take back Constantinople
Unwipedbutthole on
I went to Cesme and Bodrum this summer and it was insanely expensive. Was really great, but never going back there ever. Not worth it at all.
Ajatolah_ on
I’m pretty sure every country wants to be a destination for tourists with money, not tourists with a tight budget.
I have access to Croatian media and whenever they talk about tourism as one of the most important sectors in their economy, they say how the future growth needs to be generated not by an increase in the number of visits, but in increase in money those tourists spend.
The fact that Turkey became expensive is not something that will cause panic in their country lol. Why would they panic because of the fact that the supply and demand brought them to the point where they can charge a lot?
I can only wish services I provide will become so sought after and expensive that many clients can’t afford them.
dn_nb on
what kind of moron goes to turkey for vacation when Greece is right there. isn’t turkey just a holiday place for fat chicks anyway?
Tornfalk_ on
Good.
fretnbel on
Turkey used to be a budget destination. Saw the prices at the new Istanbul airport and the entrance tickets to Topkapi (40 euro), Aya Sophie & Galata tower. It’s just not worth it. Not even in France would you pay as much for the Louvre.
exBusel on
I was in Turkey in 2012 and in 2022. The quality of service has dropped a lot and prices have increased significantly (in Euros). Although Greece did not seem cheaper to me, I found the quality of service, food, and friendliness of the staff to be higher. In Turkey they try to cheat the tourist at every step.
Difficult-Broccoli65 on
Not surprised……
My female friends didn’t feel threatened by local men in Greece like they did in Turkey…..
LubieRZca on
That’s surprising, Greece is such a bad tourist destination in comparison, but yeah if the price is the reason, it’s the only reason I understand.
Winter_Echoes on
This summer a friend of a friend went with her family to Turkey. Everything was overpriced and more expensive than most cities in Europe. It was a scam from the beginning to the end. They refuse to go there once again.
yourlocallidl on
was a good holiday destination for a cheap getaway, but now they’re charging paris/london prices for mediocrity.
MegaJackUniverse on
I went 4 times in the early 2000s with my family. We loved it very much. (I know, 4 times. My family were not super adventurous. They wanted cheap drinks, sun and sand)
Went back around 2010 and we got a fake advertised “30 mins from Izmir Airport’ hotel. It was THREE HOURS from Izmir airport. It was “4 star” and when we arrive they said nonono it’s 4 *SUN* for the weather and 3 star. Wtf is that.
Then the food was horrendous compared to the previous places we stayed, and there wasn’t really anybody there we met that were happy, some Germans and some folk from Newcastle.
Ok, we think, we’re near Bodrum, we have been there before, it’s nice, let’s visit, it’s not far. Well, everyone suddenly only accepted euro. Hm. And even fake shit was priced as much if not more than the UK. Everybody was hassling us to get in their restaurants. Some guys would QUEUE in front of you. You’d say “not interested thank you” and the first guy would leave, then the fucker behind him would immediately thrust his menu at you. It was just miserable
pbondo2 on
My last visit to Turkey was 8 years ago, and I did enjoy my stay. But I am probably not coming back any time soon.
It is not just one major thing. It is all the small things that has accumulated over the years of Erdogan.
The NATO debacle with Sweden and Finland, and the lurking threat with doing the same for Ukraine.
The two faced approach to Ukraine and Russia. Turkey has done very little for Ukraine even though they are neighbors.
The stupid idea of the Russian S-400 and trying to blame it on USA and the complete inability to aknowledge that you were wrong (again).
The constant threat of releasing masses of your fellow muslim refugees on europe rather than work it out with your arab neighbors.
The tonnes of Turks in Europe, who just don’t know how to behave themselves. It all just adds up.
33 Comments
Turkey, long known as a budget-friendly holiday destination, is now seeing a significant drop in tourism due to rising costs, leaving hotels vacant as tourists opt for Greece instead.
A travel expert told Express that it’s “unsurprising” that cost-conscious travellers are struggling with the increased prices and are “seeking a better deal.
Another has warned that Turkey will have a tough time in the coming years if it doesn’t restore its reputation as a “budget” destination.
Not only are foreign tourists deterred by the escalating prices, but Turkish holidaymakers are also shunning staycations. From April 1, Greece began issuing visas on arrival for Turkish visitors, allowing them to visit 10 Greek islands with an express visa for up to seven days.
In the first 10 days of April alone, the islands of Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Kos and Rhodes welcomed 20,690 Turkish tourists, many of whom would likely have holidayed in their home country in previous years.
Meanwhile, numerous hotel rooms in Turkish resorts remain unoccupied. Hamit Kuk, a leading advisor for the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies, previously told Express in August that some of the cheaper hotels in popular holiday destinations were only half-full, even during peak season, reports the Express.
Kuk divulged the latest figures, stating: “The average room occupancy rate in hotels in Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethiye and Antalya is currently around 80 percent,” and noted that contrary to some claims, there are no empty hotels or resorts. He lamented that previously, room occupancy rates hit 100 percent, but this has since dropped.
He went on to say that different categories of establishments would be winding down at separate times: “[I expect] two and three-star hotels to close in October, four-star hotels to close in mid-October and five-star hotels to remain open until the end of October.”
Mustafa Demir, Chairman of the TURSAB Regional Representation Board had previously informed Schengen. News about the cost pressures tourism businesses are under: “Since fixed costs, such as electricity, personnel and hotel rents are fixed, while other food, beverage and cleaning costs are variable, our hotelier colleagues made their calculations and made discounts so that at least the rooms would not remain empty, they could pay the staff and not lay them off.”
Current trends are also reflected by travel operators like easyJet and TUI who are displaying deals on their websites for instance, easyJet offers price reductions ranging from £100 to £200 which cover flights, accommodation and meals.
Concern is echoed among travel experts. Sarah Donaldson, Senior Travel Claims Analyst at Fast Cover Travel Insurance, outlined the primary issues, commenting to Express that: “We understand that hyperinflation remains the primary cause of Turkey’s struggling tourism sector, as even foreigners find it hard to justify the cost of accommodation and dining.”
“With nearby countries like Greece generally offering more affordable alternatives, it’s unsurprising that price-conscious travellers are seeking a better deal.”
Florian Wupperfeld, a world-leading social sustainability and placemaking expert and CEO of LCD Ventures, a UK-based destination innovation company, also expressed his concerns about the potential long-term implications of Turkey’s current situation.
He stated: “Turkey is a budget destination. The middle segment of people [that] feel the pinch with inflation are drying out faster than the luxury. The people with money still have money.”
Wupperfeld noted that Turkey excels in hard power tourism, which involves using incentives like work visas to attract visitors, as seen in Russia. However, it struggles with soft power tourism, a strategy that employs symbolic and effective means to influence global audiences.
According to Wupperfeld, tourism in Turkey “has become a hard power industry”. He warned that Turkey will face challenges in the future due to its focus on budget tourism.
On a more positive note, Ms Donaldson pointed out that there are signs of hope for Turkey’s tourism industry, citing the Turkish government’s report that inflation had dropped to below 52 percent in August, down from a peak of 75 percent in May, as reported by Reuters. “With the government expecting inflation to fall below 42 percent by the end of the year, travellers hoping to visit the region soon could potentially encounter more reasonable prices once interest rates begin to drop.”
“We understand that some Turkish officials also suggested that major sporting events held in Europe over the summer have contributed to a downturn in tourism. With the European Championship in Germany and the Paris Olympic Games attracting millions of visitors, many travellers ordinarily bound for Turkey might have had other plans in 2024.”
“We’ll have to wait and see how the next few months play out, but the Turkish Minister of Culture and Tourism Mehmet Nuri Ersoy suggested tourism will slowly grow throughout September before a rapid increase as the economy improves. According to Ersoy, with just a 6 percent increase in tourism, Turkey can achieve its goal of 60 million annual visitors.”
I can’t believe that even with the value of the Lira plummeting and the skyrocketing prices of Greek tourism people still come to Greece. Have you been on holidays in Greece recently? Exactly, neither have I.
Currently, I am avoiding spending time and money in a musl1m country.
Why would you bring your money to erdogan? As long as that prick is in charge im not spending a dime in turkey.
People shouldn’t go visiting countries ran by dictators.
Good, I’m sure the Russian tourists will fill that void right? Erdogan wants to have the cake and eat it at the same time and is upset when people actually vote with their wallets
I have not read the article yet but I’m already fairly certain that when I do, the Turkish reaction will be far from “panic”.
turkish tourist sector has shifted from hospitality and service to scamming and force.
I am not talking about all people working in tourism and HoReCa.
But the stuff i ve seen and the stuff i ve heard from friends and family is insane.
It is expensive as hell even when you use USD to compare.
Tourists are tourissts but is is becoming unbearable for the citizens.
I would also prefer greece for my holiday. they saw astronomic prices here and started to give us special visas.
Greece? Budget friendly? Yeah, right. I just came back from two-week trip to Rhodes, everything is just as pricey and everyone wants to fleece you for every dime you have just like everywhere else.
oh no, if it isn’t the consequences of my own actions
Are these German Car Manufacturers in the room with us now UK?
Hm I find these articles dramatic. I was in Izmir this year and it was cheaper than Greek islands for sure. I was in Cesme too which wasn’t cheaper but I think this is one of the most expensive areas of Türkiye?
Are these authors maybe referring to tourists who want 14 days all inclusive for £300pp?
Finally some good fucking news
I thought Turkey was cheap? What gives?
As long as Erdogan is in charge I refuse to go to Turkey.
Usual bullshit, nobody want the drunk hooligans , you guys behave too bad
Oh cmon Turkiye, up your game please and keep them.
I don’t understand anything. Shouldn’t it be cheaper for tourists due to currency depreciation?
If Greece opened up hair clinics, they’d take back Constantinople
I went to Cesme and Bodrum this summer and it was insanely expensive. Was really great, but never going back there ever. Not worth it at all.
I’m pretty sure every country wants to be a destination for tourists with money, not tourists with a tight budget.
I have access to Croatian media and whenever they talk about tourism as one of the most important sectors in their economy, they say how the future growth needs to be generated not by an increase in the number of visits, but in increase in money those tourists spend.
The fact that Turkey became expensive is not something that will cause panic in their country lol. Why would they panic because of the fact that the supply and demand brought them to the point where they can charge a lot?
I can only wish services I provide will become so sought after and expensive that many clients can’t afford them.
what kind of moron goes to turkey for vacation when Greece is right there. isn’t turkey just a holiday place for fat chicks anyway?
Good.
Turkey used to be a budget destination. Saw the prices at the new Istanbul airport and the entrance tickets to Topkapi (40 euro), Aya Sophie & Galata tower. It’s just not worth it. Not even in France would you pay as much for the Louvre.
I was in Turkey in 2012 and in 2022. The quality of service has dropped a lot and prices have increased significantly (in Euros). Although Greece did not seem cheaper to me, I found the quality of service, food, and friendliness of the staff to be higher. In Turkey they try to cheat the tourist at every step.
Not surprised……
My female friends didn’t feel threatened by local men in Greece like they did in Turkey…..
That’s surprising, Greece is such a bad tourist destination in comparison, but yeah if the price is the reason, it’s the only reason I understand.
This summer a friend of a friend went with her family to Turkey. Everything was overpriced and more expensive than most cities in Europe. It was a scam from the beginning to the end. They refuse to go there once again.
was a good holiday destination for a cheap getaway, but now they’re charging paris/london prices for mediocrity.
I went 4 times in the early 2000s with my family. We loved it very much. (I know, 4 times. My family were not super adventurous. They wanted cheap drinks, sun and sand)
Went back around 2010 and we got a fake advertised “30 mins from Izmir Airport’ hotel. It was THREE HOURS from Izmir airport. It was “4 star” and when we arrive they said nonono it’s 4 *SUN* for the weather and 3 star. Wtf is that.
Then the food was horrendous compared to the previous places we stayed, and there wasn’t really anybody there we met that were happy, some Germans and some folk from Newcastle.
Ok, we think, we’re near Bodrum, we have been there before, it’s nice, let’s visit, it’s not far. Well, everyone suddenly only accepted euro. Hm. And even fake shit was priced as much if not more than the UK. Everybody was hassling us to get in their restaurants. Some guys would QUEUE in front of you. You’d say “not interested thank you” and the first guy would leave, then the fucker behind him would immediately thrust his menu at you. It was just miserable
My last visit to Turkey was 8 years ago, and I did enjoy my stay. But I am probably not coming back any time soon.
It is not just one major thing. It is all the small things that has accumulated over the years of Erdogan.
The NATO debacle with Sweden and Finland, and the lurking threat with doing the same for Ukraine.
The two faced approach to Ukraine and Russia. Turkey has done very little for Ukraine even though they are neighbors.
The stupid idea of the Russian S-400 and trying to blame it on USA and the complete inability to aknowledge that you were wrong (again).
The constant threat of releasing masses of your fellow muslim refugees on europe rather than work it out with your arab neighbors.
The tonnes of Turks in Europe, who just don’t know how to behave themselves. It all just adds up.