Turkey tourism confident to bounce back at pre-pandemic level

Thursday, February 17, 2022

As per industry officials, this year’s season is set to take the tourism industry of Turkey once again back to its pre-pandemic levels, with high expectation that comes in the middle of risks like growth of tensions between Ukraine and Russia, which are the crucial tourist markets.

Also, hotel and tourism officials have cautioned of rising costs and rapid increases in efficacies, food and wage costs, which could stop an economy’s profits and broader benefits that is facing price rises that soared to a 20-year high in January.

The bounce back after experiencing long challenging times caused by COVID that stopped travel is seen as boosting the economy, together with a recent drop in the Turkish lira that has made the country even more enchanting than ever.

For Turkey’s Mediterranean and Aegean beaches and historic treasures, the high season will start in May. Europeans in particular are by now booking trips. It’s a good news for President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government, as they have adopted a new economic measures, depending heavily on foreign income to restrain the current account deficit.

“Early bookings started with high speed. We’ve got strong bookings, especially from Britain. They’re almost in line with 2019,” said Turkish Hoteliers Federation (TÜROFED) vice chair Bülent Bülbüloğlu.

Usually, he explained that early bookings start with Britons and are taken as a reference for the season, with rising demand also expected from other European countries, Russia and Central Asia.

Foreign arrivals in Antalya, among the most famous holiday destinations of Turkey, in January totalled 117,818, matching 2019 levels, data showed.

« Back to Page

• UK foreign office issued Turkey travel warning for holidaymakers

• Turkiye expects surge in Saudi tourists this year

• Ancient tumulus to bring in tourism

• Turkey’s weak lira affects the tourism industry

• Turkey’s international tourist footfall may reach pre-pandemic level by 2022 end