Recent reports show that hotel occupancy in Turkey is rising in the country's costs. Turkey has been a favorite of many British people for generations and has gained popularity as a more affordable, sunny destination than European hotspots such as Spain and Portugal. There are popular seaside resorts for tourists to visit, as well as thriving metropolitan cities such as Istanbul and Ankara.
However, the number of visitors is declining, according to the report, fingers are directed towards rising costs and the quality of entertainment options for visitors to the country. Tourism reviews point to multiple industry reports showing the growing problems in Turkey's busy tourism sector, with domestic prices comparable to those of Spain and Greece. The rise in prices of accommodation is driven by input costs, and reports state, Antalya and Bodram are one of the places that look to rise in prices.
Family holidays at these resort destinations can cost over 150,000 Turkey Lira. This costs around £2,750. Meanwhile, similar holidays in Greece could cost between £1,460 and £1,830.
“The economic situation within Turkey is the main cause of the problems we see in tourism,” said Kvansch Merici, chairman of the Turkish Association of Travel Agency. Compared to 2024, the arrival of visitors to the country fell by 0.15% in the first five months of 2025.
Meriç added: “Türkiye has lost its price advantage. Tourists are now choosing destinations that will increase the value of the same money.”
He explained that as the increased costs of businesses are being felt by tourists, immediate action is necessary to tackle the issue. Turkey has seen the most notable declines in visitors from Russia and Germany, as well as the decline in tourists from Britain and Bulgaria.
Turkey is an affordable holiday destination and says what people in the tourism industry say is a strong position. Last year, Turkey exceeded Italy's number of visitors, with a total of 56.7 million visitors from overseas.
President Burhan Siri of the Association of Tourism Business Owners (AltID) said every day: “We need to rethink the price balance while maintaining quality. Otherwise, even if occupancy does not drop, the sector needs to act more cautiously in increasing profit margins and increasing global competition.”
LMX Touristic Turkey general coordinator Serdar Bayraktar added: “The exchange rate advantage is no longer sufficient, and Turkey is perceived as an expensive country for foreign tourists. Tax rates on basic needs such as food, energy, cleaning products and price increases for imported products, are increasing the costs of tourism.”
