Following tense situation in the country, Turkey travel specialists raise concerns about the future of Turkish tourism, TravelWires reports.
The recent explosion in Istanbul that left 10 tourists dead came after the October 10 terrorist bombings in Ankara in which more than 100 people lost their lives.
Several owners of local tour agencies already complain about cancellations, because of impact of terrorism in the region.
A tour agency owner explains: “Bookings were already slow for 2016 because of a combination of what’s going on in the region and the attacks in Paris last year, but now, I expect them to be at a standstill. While France is a familiar destination and may be more appealing for people to go to, Turkey is considered somewhat exotic so people aren’t going to immediately rush here.”
International agencies offering group trips to Turkey in the peak season are also having difficulties, due to clients that still have time to change their minds about their trips and get a full refund.
“People might be waiting to see if they still want to go depending on what the situation in Turkey will be like over the next several weeks,” Michael Sadowski, spokesman of Intrepid Travel in Australia said.
The impact on Turkish tourism is expected to become more visible in the weeks to come, when bookings to Turkey’s destinations might significantly decrease.
