Ukraine crisis weighing on Turkish tourism industry

ISTANBUL

The ongoing crisis between Ukraine and Russia is posing risks to Turkey’s large tourism industry as travelers from those countries are canceling reservations.

However, people from the sector are hopeful that should the tension ease in March or April, tourism activity may not be affected significantly in the summer season with last minute bookings from Russian and Ukrainian holidaymakers.

Russian and Ukrainian tourists are significant sources of income for hoteliers particularly in resorts in Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, such as Alanya, Belek and Kemer.

Last year, 4.7 million Russians and nearly 2 million Ukrainians visited Turkey, while total foreign tourist arrivals in the country stood at 24.7 million people, rising more than 94 percent from 2020. Russians and Ukrainians made up 19 percent and 8.3 percent of all foreign visitors, respectively in 2021.

In January this year, Turkey hosted 134,000 Russians and 37,000 Ukrainians.

“Reservations [from Ukraine and Russia] have slowed significantly due to the tension,” said Burhan Sili, chair of the Alanya Touristic Hoteliers Association (ALTİD).

Sili, however, noted that Russians tend to make last minute bookings and that if the situation deescalates, tourist inflow from this region may quickly recover.

Reservations from Russia came to a complete half as of Feb.22, said Özgen Uysal, head of the western Mediterranean chapter of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB).

Yet, echoing Sili, Uysal is optimistic that tourism activity could pick up if the tension eases in the period ahead.

Rıza Perçin from TÜRSAB warned that in the absence of Russians and Ukrainians, the problems of local businesses, which already suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic, will only exacerbate.

Cappadocia is also feeling the pinch from the Ukraine-Russian tension. The tourist hotspot has seen an increase in the number of visitors from those two countries, especially after the commence of charter flights from Ukraine two years ago.

“Charter flights have been cancelled. Last winter, we hosted 30,000 Russians and Ukrainians. It looks like we already lost Russian and Ukrainian tourists this winter,” said Teyfik Ölmez, chair of the Cappadocia Touristic Hoteliers and Operators’ Association (KAPTİD).