Newsletters
Holiday prices in Türkiye could be 30%-50% below peak-season levels in September and October amid a weaker tourism outlook and geopolitical tensions, Turkish tour operator Jolly's Chairman Mete Vardar said Wednesday.
Hotel prices in Türkiye remain competitive by international standards, Vardar asserted, noting that many five-star hotels had offered services in the €100 ($116.6) range through the end of June and said similar prices could also be seen in the coming months.
In an interview with Bloomberg HT, Vardar stressed that rising costs had pushed hotel prices higher, but the value of services remained favorable for tourists.
A guest who previously paid ₺1,000 ($20.8) could receive about ₺3,000 worth of services, while a traveler paying ₺2,000 could still receive services worth around ₺3,000. Despite rising costs, hotels had not compromised on service quality, he added.
Meanwhile, Vardar pointed to strong Turkish demand for overseas tours, with Egypt, Dubai, Mexico and South America among the destinations attracting interest.
Official data backs up the trend, with 6.4 million Turkish citizens traveling abroad in the first half of 2026, up about 15% from a year earlier. The number of Turkish citizens traveling abroad rose 13.1% year on year in the first quarter and 16.5% in the second quarter, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat).
Schengen countries, however, continued to face serious visa problems. Travelers were struggling not only to obtain visas but also to secure appointments. "Previously, visas could not be obtained; now appointments cannot even be obtained," Vardar said.
Consumers were seeking the right to cancel trips early when they could not secure an appointment within 90 days, he added.
Uncertainty between the United States and Iran weighed heavily on Türkiye's tourism sector in May and June, Jolly Chairman Mete Vardar said. The impact came as the sector entered the peak summer period with a weaker outlook.
Foreign visitor arrivals fell 0.3% year on year to 7.1 million in July, according to data from the Culture and Tourism Ministry. In the first seven months of 2026, foreign arrivals declined 2.3% to 27.9 million.
Nevertheless, Vardar estimated that visitor numbers could still surpass last year's level if sea tourism remained strong through August. Türkiye welcomed about 64 million visitors in 2025, according to the Culture and Tourism Ministry.
Even with a stronger August, Vardar warned that geopolitical tensions could leave tourism revenue below the government's $68 billion target for 2026. The target is above the $65.2 billion in tourism revenue recorded in 2025, according to Turkstat.
"We may remain below the $68 billion tourism revenue target set for this year due to geopolitical tensions," Vardar said.
Set as preferred source
Set as preferred source
1 min read
1 min read
