Summer without Turkey – Kommersant

“Owls are not what they seem” — not only fans of the cult Twin Peaks series, but also Russians planning a beach vacation can remember this phrase this coming summer. Stereotypes in tourism have been broken since the beginning of the pandemic: for example, the Maldives gradually became a mass destination, having lost its flair of luxury, Gelendzhik became the center of attention of the wealthy public, and the Caspian coast in Dagestan became a sought-after beach destination. Now you may have to rethink your vacation in Turkey.

Despite the relatively large volume of air travel, vacation prices are rising sharply here. The average check for booking a tour to Turkey increased by 20-30% over the year, to 226 thousand rubles, according to Travelata.ru. But even if tourists are not afraid of the figure itself, comparing it with other destinations, you can think about the advisability of traveling to Turkey. For example, at a price of 150-160 thousand rubles. now you can find tours to Thailand for two with accommodation in a four-star hotel. About 200 thousand rubles. is the average travel bill in the UAE. Options for tours to Cyprus with accommodation in four-star hotels, with all the complexity of logistics, are available from 212 thousand rubles. Among the potential competitors of Turkey, Russian tour operators began to name Sri Lanka and the Maldives. A few years ago, such a neighborhood could be called unprecedented.

The sharp increase in the cost of holidays in Turkey is often associated with the economic situation. According to official data, inflation in the country in March compared to the same period last year amounted to 50.5%. This led to an increase in the cost of products. The earthquake, difficulties with recruitment were added to the negative factors. The idea of ​​increasing the cost of holidays in Turkey can be considered consistent. Mehmet Ersoy, Minister of Culture and Tourism of the country, spoke about the country’s intention to rely on high-income tourists literally immediately after his appointment in July 2018. This, according to the official, would help increase the contribution of tourism to GDP at the expense of guests “who will not stay in hotels.” Accustomed to minimal spending and the most measured rest on the Turkish coast, the Russians were clearly not among them.

Five years later, the ideas of the Turkish official were realized. But Russian tourists are clearly not ready for such an approach. PEGAS Touristik coordinator for the CIS countries Orhan Sancar, in an interview with the Turkish edition of Turizm Guncel, noted that April and May will become very weak for the Turkish tourism industry, lost due to competition with Thailand, Dubai, Vietnam and Cuba, where prices are more favorable. He does not exclude that only 3 million Russians can visit the country this year instead of the planned 6 million Russians. The rest of the holidaymakers will have to look for new foreign locations for a budget holiday. But now this task can become non-trivial.