German and Russian tourists will spend the autumn in Turkey. While the hotels on the coast are 80% full in September, the demand is expected to continue in October and the season is expected to extend to mid-November.
As Turkey closes the summer season and prepares for autumn, the picture of the new era in tourism began to take shape. The tourism season, which started late due to the global epidemic Covid-19, was expected to extend until mid-November. Incoming reservation requests started to meet these expectations.
Tourism professionals, who stated that the reservations coming from abroad have been shaped in the last 20 days due to the pandemic, are happy with the reservations for September. Indicating that the hotels on the coasts, except for Istanbul and Marmaris, are 80% full, on average, during this period, tourism professionals predict that this activity will continue until the end of October, and that it may even continue until the middle of November in some regions.
THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY CANCELLATIONS
Germany’s move to the high-risk country category on 13 August did not create a negative atmosphere in the sector. Pointing out that the decision did not adversely affect the demands of the Germans in Turkey, tourism professionals said, “For passengers who have been vaccinated or who have recovered from the disease, the high-risk category does not change anything.”
“This decision did not adversely affect reservation requests, as vaccination rates are high in Germany. The Germans did not give up on Turkey.” The statements of the German tour operators also confirm the demand for Turkey. The executives of FTI, Alltours, Oger and Bucher, one of Germany’s leading tour companies, also state that no cancellations have been received.
PACKAGE TOUR SALES EXCEED 95%
Good news is also coming from Russia, Turkey’s leading market in the pandemic. In the statement made by the Russian Association of Tour Operators (ATOR), it was stated that the Russians used their holiday preference to Turkey again in September-October. Pointing out that Turkey will be preferred in November as well, it was stated in the statement that the share of Turkey in package tour sales exceeded 95%.
SEPTEMBER OCCUPANCY IS 80%
Turkey Hoteliers Federation (TUROFED) President Sururi Corabatir stated that the reservations arrived 20 days before due to the pandemic, and said, “Reservations for September are good. The occupancy rate will be around 80% in September, except for Marmaris region and Istanbul, on the coasts such as Antalya, Bodrum and Cesme.”
Stating that they believe that the demand will be strong in October, Corabatir noted that if there is no negative situation, the season will last until the middle of November. Corabatir said, “In this period, flows from Ukraine, Germany and Poland, especially Russia, will continue.”
THE SEASON CAN EXTEND TO THE END OF NOVEMBER
Nirvana Hotels CEO Korhan Alsan stated that with the opening of schools in September, the share of domestic tourists will decrease to 10% and said, “Demand from Germany, Russia, Ukraine and Poland in this period is quite good. The occupancy of the hotels in Antalya will be around 80% on average.
Our September occupancy rate is 90%. We anticipate that we will be 80% full in October, even if the demand declines a little bit.” Stating that they predicted that the season might extend until the end of November, Alsan said, “We think that there may be a surprise in November and that the demand may even go better than we expected.
Because vaccination rates in countries are increasing day by day. The weather seems to be going hot in November as well. Depending on both the vaccine and the temperature, we can have a nice November.”
SOUTH AMERICAN ATTENTION TO PAMUKKALE
Gazi Murat Sen, Chairman of Denizli Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association, stated that Pamukkale spent the months of July and August with 80% occupancy and said, “Pamukkale Ruins hosted 224 thousand visitors in the first 6 months, while it received 258,000 visitors only in July.
There was a great interest especially from expatriates.” Explaining that the demand will decrease slightly in September, Sen said, “There is a South American tourist interest in this period. We will also host German, Russian and Ukrainian. In September-October, our hotel occupancy will be around 60%.”
HEALING FROM THE FIRES
Bodrum Golden Age Hotel General Manager Serdar Gezgin stated that the wounds of the fire started to heal in the region. “We’re slowly recovering.”
Reservation flow started. However, due to the fire, the hotels decreased their prices.” Explaining that the occupancy rate in the region will reach 80-90% in September, Gezgin said, “The decrease in prices revived the demand. Half of the hotels will be closed in October. Hotels that remain open also reach 80% occupancy in October.”
Source: Sabah / Translated by Irem Yildiz