The recent political instability in Turkey may damage the tourism sector of the economy. Due to the tensions and unrest, demand for tourism in Turkey has begun to decline. This opinion was voiced by the president of TUROFED (Turkish Hoteliers Federation) Osman Ayik in an interview with the Turkish press.
Osman Ayik also noted: “Recently, the unrest in Turkey has begun to negatively affect the flow of tour bookings. The industrial sector, which is going through hard times, political instability caused by the upcoming elections, tensions between Russia and Ukraine… All these factors together can cut off some of the tourist traffic, while some of the set goals may not be achieved.”
Measures must be taken…
The President of TUROFED stated: “In the tourism sector, Turkey’s main competitors are Spain, Greece and Egypt. The events in Egypt have reduced the number of tourists visiting this country. Instead of Egypt, tourists are now increasingly choosing Turkey. Measures must be taken to maintain a high tourist flow. We must not lose this chance. The tense relations between Ukraine and Russia may indirectly affect Turkey’s tourism sector. If the US and EU impose new sanctions against Russia, restricting entry into their countries, Turkey may become even more important for Russian tourists,” said Osman Ayik.
