Turkey become popular summer holiday destination for Brits
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Turkey is gaining ground as a favorite holiday destination for Brits as the Euro is hitting the pound and British tourists spending power.
According to Co-op Travel, Turkey represents far greater value than Spain with superior value for money and a far higher standard of customer service. Turkey has attracted over a third more holiday makers this year compared to last year and has seen spectacular growth, according to ABTA. These figures echo tourism statistics from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism which reported a 15 percent increase in tourist arrivals.
Trevor Davis, The Cooperative Travel Group's director of retail travel said packaged holiday sales for Turkey have increased by 30 percent. Mr. Davis also said sales to Majorca, Spain's top-selling holiday destination, have dropped by 13 percent. Ian Hailes, head of product and development for Cosmos, said packaged summer holiday sales for destinations in Turkey were up by a quarter while Spanish destinations were decreased by 6%.
For those tourists who have felt the pinch of a struggling economy, a Turkish vacation could prove to be more affordable for the 2009 vacation season. Turkey's history is steeped in various cultures, its ancient ruins, mountainous regions and forested areas make Turkey a great vacation destination for anyone of any age. The wonderful mix of cultures, cuisine and night life make it a wonderful place for young people, while the excursions and packaged tours of ancient sites available also make it a great vacation spot for history buffs.
Turkey makes two appearances on the top 10 list for European tourists for 2009. Dalaman tops the list as the number one packaged vacation spot. Following closely behind is Majorca, one of Spain's Balearic Islands. The third destination is the Greek island of Crete. Bodrum makes the list as the number four vacation destination for Europeans. The Turkish government has said it will get involved in an advertising campaign to boost tourism. There were 23 million visitors to Turkey in 2008 and authorities had predicted that would increase to 30 million in 2009.
This rise in tourist numbers also spells good news for the holiday home market. In western Turkey where a lot of towns rely on tourism for income, thousands of holiday homes are on the market. According to the Real Estate Counselors Federation, in Mugla's Fethiye district around 6,500 are owned by British people alone. Holiday home sales have soared over the past 3 years and Holiday homes prices have risen by 50 % in 2 years, but there is an overload of properties on the market, there is still a bargain to be had in Turkey.
Social BookmarkingAccording to Co-op Travel, Turkey represents far greater value than Spain with superior value for money and a far higher standard of customer service. Turkey has attracted over a third more holiday makers this year compared to last year and has seen spectacular growth, according to ABTA. These figures echo tourism statistics from the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism which reported a 15 percent increase in tourist arrivals.
Trevor Davis, The Cooperative Travel Group's director of retail travel said packaged holiday sales for Turkey have increased by 30 percent. Mr. Davis also said sales to Majorca, Spain's top-selling holiday destination, have dropped by 13 percent. Ian Hailes, head of product and development for Cosmos, said packaged summer holiday sales for destinations in Turkey were up by a quarter while Spanish destinations were decreased by 6%.
For those tourists who have felt the pinch of a struggling economy, a Turkish vacation could prove to be more affordable for the 2009 vacation season. Turkey's history is steeped in various cultures, its ancient ruins, mountainous regions and forested areas make Turkey a great vacation destination for anyone of any age. The wonderful mix of cultures, cuisine and night life make it a wonderful place for young people, while the excursions and packaged tours of ancient sites available also make it a great vacation spot for history buffs.
Turkey makes two appearances on the top 10 list for European tourists for 2009. Dalaman tops the list as the number one packaged vacation spot. Following closely behind is Majorca, one of Spain's Balearic Islands. The third destination is the Greek island of Crete. Bodrum makes the list as the number four vacation destination for Europeans. The Turkish government has said it will get involved in an advertising campaign to boost tourism. There were 23 million visitors to Turkey in 2008 and authorities had predicted that would increase to 30 million in 2009.
This rise in tourist numbers also spells good news for the holiday home market. In western Turkey where a lot of towns rely on tourism for income, thousands of holiday homes are on the market. According to the Real Estate Counselors Federation, in Mugla's Fethiye district around 6,500 are owned by British people alone. Holiday home sales have soared over the past 3 years and Holiday homes prices have risen by 50 % in 2 years, but there is an overload of properties on the market, there is still a bargain to be had in Turkey.
Labels: Holiday-property, Tourism
