10 mln to embark on journeys for extended Eid holiday

ISTANBUL

Nearly 10 million people in Türkiye are expected to travel during the nine-day Eid holiday to visit relatives and friends and take advantage of the prolonged respite, a sector representative has said.

Although the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, or the feast of sacrifice, traditionally spans four days, its extension to nine days has prompted many in the country to make travel plans.

Of the 10 million travelers, approximately 3 million are planning vacations, while the remainder will journey to their hometowns to visit close friends and family during the festivities, said Firuz Bağlıkaya, the head of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB).

The tourism activity over the nine-day holiday is projected to generate an economic volume of 100 billion Turkish Liras ($3.1 billion), Bağlıkaya said.

As this year's Eid holiday coincides with the end of the school year on June 14, marking the start of what is often termed the "high season" for the tourism sector, an intense surge in tourism activity is expected nationwide.

Bağlıkaya noted that domestic vacation sales have surged as the holiday approaches, with hotel occupancy rates in the Mediterranean and Aegean resorts already surpassing 80 percent.

He also highlighted a significant increase in interest in culture tourism, as there is a marked increase of over 40 percent in cultural tour reservations compared to last year's Eid al-Adha reservations.

"Among our prominent destinations for cultural tours are [the southeastern province of] Mardin, while Sapanca is a preferred destination for those who do not wish to venture far from Istanbul," Bağlıkaya explained.

Turkish holidaymakers also show interest in overseas tours, while issues with Schengen visas have steered their preferences towards visa-free countries, he added.

Turkish citizens have faced a series of difficulties in securing Schengen visa appointments due to high demand, and increasing rejection rates continue to pose a significant challenge.

However, interest in international travel during the holiday period still increased by 50 percent compared to the same period last year, according to Bağlıkaya.

"Turkish Cyprus stands out as the most favored destination, while visa-free or easily accessible Balkan countries are popular for those planning beach vacations. Additionally, Sharm El-Sheikh and other resort areas in Egypt are attracting attention," he said.

"In the Middle East, Dubai is among the favored destinations. Those with visas tend to show interest in tours to Spain, Italy, the Benelux region and Central Europe," he added.

Bağlıkaya pointed out that while there have been inflation-linked price increases for domestic holidays this year, no significant increase has been noted in the dollar or euro costs of international travel compared to the previous year.