Antalya eyeing to lure European pensioners

ANTALYA

Tourism companies and hoteliers in Antalya are seeking to lure millions of European pensioners, betting that the rising cost of living in the continent will make the province an appealing destination.

Tourism companies in the province have come up with “long stay packages” for pensioners, which will cost 21 euros per day, arguing that staying in Europe will be much more expensive for 150 million pensioners than vacationing in Antalya during the winter months.

Pensioners, particularly in Germany, are likely to take extended vacations due to the rising costs, said Recep Yavuz from the Antalya City Council’s Tourism Working Group.

A family of four will pay 3,461 euros more for utilities and food this year compared with the previous years, Yavuz said, citing calculations by German authorities. “The problems will only grow if Russia completely cuts off the gas supplies.”

Pensioners are seeking ways to ease the burden of the cost of living, and Antalya is offering a solution, he added.

“Long-term stay plans are nothing new but have become more important this year, given the current situation,” Yavuz said, noting Antalya offers an appealing alternative due to its easy access, good health care services and affordable prices.

If a vacationer stays at a four-star hotel in Antalya’s Kumköy between Nov. 15 and Jan. 10, 2023, for 56 days under such a long-stay package, they will pay 1,209 euros, or only 21 euros a day, and this will include plane tickets, three meals a day, a train ticket to the airport in Germany and transport between the airport in Antalya and the hotel, Yavuz explained.

“They may also choose to stay at a three-star hotel for 56 days for 511 euros or at a luxurious hotel for 9,900 euros. Antalya offers a wide range of alternatives. It has 152 hotels with 50,000 beds,” Yavuz added.

Türkiye hosted 16.4 million foreign tourists in the first half of 2022, up 186 percent from a year ago. More than 2 million Germans alone visited the country in January-June, constituting 12.4 percent of all foreign tourist arrivals.