Foto shutterstock/Alanya
According to RIA Novosti with reference to Mahmut Dalaman, a representative of the Association of Tour Operators of Turkey TÜRSAB, the key factor of instability was a sharp increase in the share of “late bookings”. Tourists increasingly postpone the purchase of tours until the last weeks before the trip, which makes it more difficult for hoteliers to predict the load and form a pricing policy in advance.
According to him, after a short-term surge of interest during the Eid al-Adha holiday, demand has fallen again against the backdrop of ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. This factor, the industry notes, directly affects foreign tourists’ travel decisions and booking dates.
“International demand has become extremely sensitive to the news background. This forces hoteliers to turn to tactics of quick discounts and short-term promotions in order not to lose loads,” Dalaman said.
As a result, the pricing policy of resorts is becoming more flexible: many hotels adjust room rates just a few days before arrival, reacting to fluctuations in demand.
At the same time, the structure of vacations is also changing. More and more tourists are choosing the all-inclusive format with minimal travel outside the hotels. This reduces the income of related segments – city restaurants, excursion bureaus and street trading, which traditionally depend on external tourist flow.
Thus, the Turkish tourism sector is facing increasing uncertainty: declining and poorly predictable demand is increasing price pressures and changing the distribution of revenues within the entire resort economy.
