Turkey to lure budget-conscious travelers this year: Study

ISTANBUL

With traveler confidence taking yet another hit amid the rising cost of living across Europe, Turkey will emerge as the destination of choice for budget-conscious travelers this year, according to GlobalData.

The study by a London-headquartered data and analytics company came at a time when the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine worries people from the local tourism industry that tourist inflows from Russia and Ukraine, two major markets for Turkish tourism industry, may slow this year.

Turkey’s market position is likely to strengthen due to current consumer sentiment, said Craig Bradley, travel and Tourism analyst at GlobalData.

“In a GlobalData third quarter 2021 Global Consumer Survey, 58 percent of respondents said cost was a key influencing factor when booking a trip, making it the leading incentive to book a holiday,” he added.

Many travelers this year will be feeling the financial pinch due to cost of living surges, as well as high fuel and energy prices, and those who usually travel to countries such as Spain, Portugal and France could make the switch this year to the more affordable Turkey, according to Bradley.

Research from GlobalData’s Traveler Spending Patterns database shows that in-destination spending is relatively low in Turkey, despite the average stay for inbound tourists - 9.7 days - being the second-longest in Europe in 2021.

Compared to average inbound expenditure in popular leisure destinations such as Spain and Portugal, travelers could potentially save anywhere between $230 and $770 per trip if they travel to Turkey instead of these destinations, data showed.

Travelers may now drop their more expensive Western European holidays for a sun and beach holiday in one of Turkey’s many resorts, such as Antalya, Dalaman, or Marmaris, GlobalData said.