Every summer, Turkish beaches are so crowded that there’s no space left for even a towel. But this year, the situation is different.
According to government data, tourism profits have increased in the second quarter of the year. Compared to last year, profits have risen by 12%, and the number of tourists has grown by 15%.
However, the reality of Turkey’s tourism sector is quite different from these government statistics, and the pace of the tourism industry in Turkey has slowed down.
‘This is the first time in years that hotel rooms are empty in the month of July,’ says Mehmet Zem of Tukonfed, a tourism organization.
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How much have tourist numbers dropped?
Gem says that this time, only 60% of hotel rooms at most have been booked. Typically, 95% of rooms are booked during the season in Turkey.
After COVID-19, there was a global decline in tourist numbers. But since the lifting of COVID-related restrictions, the number of foreign tourists has been rising each year—except in Turkey.
Compared to other tourist destinations on the Mediterranean coast, the number of tourists visiting Turkey is much lower. It seems that foreign tourists are opting for less expensive destinations.
One reason for the loss in hotels is that inflation in Turkey is out of control. As a result, locals are unable to travel even within the country.
Turkish hotels—empty hotel rooms.
The impact of sports tourism
Noor Daman says, ‘I can fill my hotel rooms only because our hotel is by the seashore. Other hotels in the middle of the city are struggling. We all have to reduce our room rates. Electricity bills and other expenses have skyrocketed.’
According to official figures, the inflation rate in Turkey is 61.8%.
Noor believes that Turkish residents living in Europe have also avoided coming back to the country for vacations this year.
Turkish government officials suggest that many major sporting events and tournaments in Europe have contributed to the decline in tourists coming to Turkey.
Germany will host Euro 2024, the UEFA European Football Championship, which is expected to bring in 600,000 additional foreign tourists.
The Paris Olympics lasted three weeks, drawing over 11 million visitors to Paris.
Turkey’s Minister of Culture and Tourism, Nuri Ersoy, believes that the situation will persist until September, but tourist numbers will eventually rise. He says, ‘Then the number of people coming to Turkey will increase.’ Current figures indicate that by the end of the year, Turkey will surpass its target of 60 million tourist arrivals.
Fascination with Greece
Ersoy claims that Greece’s relaxation of visa restrictions for Turkish citizens has also harmed Turkish hotels.
Earlier this year, the Greek government launched the Visa Express Scheme, allowing Turkish citizens to obtain a visa on arrival when traveling to ten islands in Greece.
Firuz Bagalikaya, head of the Turkish tourism association Tursab, stated, ‘The exchange rate has risen faster than the costs, making travel, especially hotel rooms, more expensive.’
Tarkan Akyuz, a hotel owner and head of Istanbul’s hotel owners association, said, ‘Tourists from Arab countries and the Balkans are choosing Greece over Turkey. They complain that clothes and food are too expensive in Turkey.’
‘We’re not making much profit,’ he said. ‘We just want to cover our expenses. Compared to last year, our costs have tripled, but our income has stayed the same.’
Many social media handles have shared bills showing expenses from trips to Greece, claiming that hotels and restaurants there are much cheaper than in Turkey.
One user claimed, ‘Compared to Turkey, it’s much cheaper; it feels almost free.’
A Turkish actor said in an interview, ‘The amount spent in Bodrum, Turkey, is double what you would spend on Greece’s Samos Island. This is a sad reality for our country.’
Places like Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Dubai have also become popular among foreign tourists. Tourism experts suggest that Turkey’s high inflation is one reason for this shift.
Soaring inflation and reports of tourist scams in certain cities have also reduced the number of foreign tourists.
This issue came to light last month.
A Turkish hotel charged 1,200 lira (around $40) for two glasses of pomegranate juice. After the local administration intervened, the money was refunded to the tourist.
Hotel owner Tarkan says, ‘These incidents tarnish our image.’
Additionally, Instagram’s recent ban has also caused problems.
‘We used to be able to see our future, but now we feel concerned,’ he said.”
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