RUBLE AND PEACE EXPECTATIONS AFFECTED RESERVATIONS
The appreciation of the ruble and the expectation that the war will end have increased the demand for Russian tourists to Turkey again.
Signals that the ongoing war with Ukraine is nearing its end and the appreciation of the Russian currency, the ruble, against both the dollar and the Turkish lira, have revived demand from Russia, one of Turkey's major tourism markets.
After a difficult winter, the sector is observing an increase in early bookings for the summer season. It is reported that reservations are accelerating in Russia, which, with 6.7 million visitors last year, is one of Turkey's largest source markets along with Germany.
Kaan Kavaloğlu, President of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association (AKTOB), stated that the 2025 winter season started 10 percent behind last year, but there has been a significant recovery in bookings for the summer period. Kavaloğlu said, "The appreciation of the ruble against the Turkish lira and the dollar and the expectation that the war may end have a positive impact. Early bookings from Russia have started."
Mehmet İşler, Vice President of the Turkish Hoteliers Federation (TÜROFED), also pointed out that there may be fiercer price competition between Turkey and the Greek Islands this year, and emphasized that especially the domestic tourists in the high-income group will make their decisions within this competition.
The Greek Islands are also among the destinations that have become active with the holiday effect. İDO General Manager Murat Orhan stated that there was a 15 percent increase in flight requests from the first day with the extension of the holiday to 9 days. Orhan announced that they organize flights every day of the week this year and that they aim to reach 70 percent occupancy rates, especially on the Samos line.
Source: ekonomim.com
