With the return of sunny days and after two years of pandemic, Turkey was counting in particular on Russian and Ukrainian tourists to revive tourism, a sector which represents 5% of its GDP, and to replenish its foreign currency reserves. But with the Russian invasion of Ukraine, hopes are dashed and professionals are worried.
From our correspondent in Istanbul, Anne Andlauer
At the moment, the days of Saniya Günay, in charge of reservations in an Istanbul travel agency, boil down to two tasks: managing cancellations and checking in with her colleagues in Ukraine, a country which represented 90% of her customers. before the war.
” March reservations have all been cancelled, about 500 people. There, we take care of cancellations from Russia, since the main Russian companies have suspended their international flights. We’ll probably have to put the key under the door and do something else “, she notes.
What improvement?
Even in agencies less exposed than that of Saniya, the absence of Ukrainian tourists and the scarcity of Russians are beginning to be felt. Last year, a quarter of tourists to Turkey, mainly to Istanbul and the southern beaches, came from these two countries. Hopes for an upturn after two years of the pandemic are dashed with the war.
” We can give up on the 2.5 million Ukrainian tourists expected this year, that’s clear. For the Russians, because of the economic sanctions, we will certainly not have the 6 or 7 million expected. Even if a ceasefire were signed tomorrow, they would be 2 or 3 million maximum. And if the sanctions last, we won’t even get to that “said Tolga Gencer, leading member of the Union of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB).
Professionals also fear having fewer German or British customers, who would avoid Turkey because of its geographical proximity to Ukraine and Russia.
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