Tour operators do not expect lower prices for holidays in Turkey due to high demand

“Prices for tour packages to Turkey will not decrease, since the demand for travel from Russian tourists is already very high,” told the Executive Director of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) Maya Lomidze. 

“The demand for Turkey is so good that I do not see any prerequisite that the price may change. From July 15, the prices have increased on the contrary, and then will rise again from August 15. This is a seasonal increase. The demand is active both in our country and on European markets. Turkey is doing well,” she said. 

As previously reported, Turkish hotels this year have already increased prices for foreign markets by 10-15% due to high demand from European tourists. According to experts, hoteliers are trying to compensate the losses they suffered in 2015-2016 due to the decrease in tourist arrivals from Russia and European countries. At the same time, according to Lomidze, tours to Turkey sold very well at the stage of early booking, even at increased prices. 

Turkey in 2018 was visited by 39.5 million foreign tourists. At the end of last year, 5.965 million tourist arrivals from Russia were recorded, which is 26.5% more than a year earlier. Russia is on the first position in the number of tourists in Turkey with share of 15.1%. It is expected that in 2019 more than 6 million Russians will visit the country.