4 holiday boost for tourism

The tourism sector in Turkey, which traditionally starts the season with Tourism Week between April 15th and 22nd each year, opened the season about a month earlier this year with three holidays. The sector began the 2024 season early with the celebrations of Nevruz, Easter, and Ramadan holidays. Additionally, it will experience four more significant holidays and vacation periods in the coming two months. These include holidays related to King's Day in the Netherlands on April 27th, Victory Day in Russia celebrated on May 9th, followed by Germany's Pentecost holiday at the end of May, and then Eid al-Adha in mid-June.

According to Kaan Kavaloğlu, President of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association (AKTOB), the tourism season started early this year around the third week of March, coinciding with Nevruz, Easter, and the nine-day Ramadan holiday. Kavaloğlu noted a 20% increase in tourist numbers compared to the previous year, making it one of the most promising starts to the first three months of the year. He highlighted that Russia, Germany, the UK, and Poland are currently the most influential markets for Turkey, and the positive performance in April is very encouraging.

Kavaloğlu also mentioned the anticipation of four more important holidays in the upcoming months. He emphasized the positive expectations for the tourism sector, citing the target set by the Minister of Culture and Tourism for $60 billion in revenue and 60 million tourists, with Antalya expected to surpass 17 million tourists this year.

Regarding domestic tourism, Kavaloğlu pointed out that the Ramadan holiday period was crucial, allowing people to take longer vacations. He also mentioned an increase in domestic reservations, as local tourists are adept at making early bookings and taking advantage of installment payment options.

Ismail Çağlar, General Manager of a 5-star hotel, stated that the sector's targets for 2024 have been further expanded after a record-breaking 2023. He emphasized the importance of the three holidays coinciding with the tourism season and anticipated a significant influx of tourists from various regions.

Hakan Saatçioğlu, President of the Professional Hotel Managers Association (POYD), highlighted that hotels reached 90-95% occupancy rates during the holiday period, with a slight decrease afterward. However, he noted a recent increase in reservations, especially with the reopening of previously closed hotels. He also mentioned ongoing challenges related to currency exchange rates and inflation, impacting the sector's profitability.

Saatçioğlu also addressed the ongoing issue of staffing shortages, particularly in lower-level positions, which they are attempting to alleviate by recruiting personnel from countries like Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Indonesia. While there are fewer challenges in upper management positions, blue-collar positions are facing significant shortages.