Retired Germans spend winter in Antalya to ‘save money’

ANTALYA

Many retired Germans spend winter in the southern province of Antalya’s coastal districts to “save money,” citing increasing natural gas prices in their country.

Nearly all of the current guests of some hotels in the favorite tourist center constitute elderly German tourists, while those who come to Antalya through agencies and prefer to stay in all-inclusive hotels stay in Türkiye for about four months.

Germans spend an average of 30 euros per day in all-inclusive hotels.

Saying that he arrived in Antalya on Dec. 3, 2022, and will return to Germany at the end of February, 72-year-old Paul Wultz said: “My wife and I have been coming here for many years. This place is getting better and better for us every year. We have a large family here. If we were in Germany right now, we would be alone, and we would not even be able to leave the house. But it’s not so here.”

“In winter, it is not very cold here, and of course, it is more affordable than in other countries. We can easily take a vacation with our pensions,” he added.

Coming to the Alanya district with her spouse on Jan. 19, 61-year-old Signd Judisch stated that she spends most of the winter season in the city every year. “Gas is very expensive in Germany. We pay 180 euros for gas per month there. It is cheaper here. We come to Türkiye to save money,” she said.

“The people here are also friendly. We are glad to come to Türkiye,” she added.

Another German tourist, Silvi Sareyha, stated she comes to Türkiye twice a year. “I have been in Türkiye every winter for 15 years.”

The 68-year-old Verena Müller is among those who prefer Antalya in winter. “We pay the accommodation fee in advance and benefit from all kinds of services until we leave. Türkiye is very affordable compared to Germany,” Müller explained.

“We do not do cleaning or cook for the entire winter. And it’s not boring here. We are with people close to our age,” she added.

An official from one of the hotels where German guests stay said that the occupancy rate of his hotel is currently 95 percent and that 90 percent of their customers are retired Germans.

“Especially in winter, almost all of our guests are Germans. They stay for a maximum of 90 days. As the country is more affordable than other countries, they prefer to stay here,” he stated.

“Our all-inclusive hotel cost is around 25 to 30 euros per day, which is quite low for Germans. There are also those who stay for a long time due to gas prices in Germany,” he said.

“With a view that ‘instead of paying that much gas money, I will rather stay in an all-inclusive hotel in Türkiye with the same money,’ what Germans are doing is quite logical,” he added.