Turkish hoteliers want extension of Eid al-Adha holiday to help struggling tourism sector

BALIKESİR

DHA photo

Local hoteliers are pushing for an extension to the public holiday for Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) to 10 days to help Turkey’s struggling tourism sector. 

Aug. 31, a Thursday, will be the eve of Eid al-Adha, which will continue for the next four days. Turkey also marks the public holiday of Victory Day on Aug. 30.

The head of the Edremit Tourism Hoteliers Association (EKTİD) in the northern Aegean region, Yahya Yavuz, told state-run Anadolu Agency that the official holiday should be extended to 10 days.

“Our region mainly attracts local tourists. We want the extension of the public holiday for Eid al-Adha to 10 days,” Yavuz said, adding that the region hit almost 100 percent hotel occupancy rates during long official holidays. 

Yağız Öngen, who owns a 5-star hotel in the touristic district of Edremit in the same region, said the season was not good until the July 15 public holiday this year.  

“It will be great for us if the holiday is extended,” he added.

According to tourism officials in the region, revenues skyrocketed during the long official holidays for two religious feasts last year, but there has been a drop this year as the holiday for Eid Ramadan was relatively short.