Will Alcohol Price Increases Affect Turkey Tourism?

[chris35]

£46

Is that a barrel

[Anne]

Sadly it will affect tourism IMHO. We go over to our place about 3 times a year but it is getting so expensive now. If we didnt own we would be off elsewhere without a doubt.

You hit the nail on the head.  It now cost us more per year to own a home in Turkey than it would for a good holiday in the Caribbean and another later in the year somewhere in Europe.

[ronzeus]

The cost of meat and drink in Turkey is now ridiculous,this is two reasons why i Chose to move full time to Spain recently instead of Turkey ,anyway Im off to have a few pints of my 2 euro Beer ,oops sorry happy hour now at 1.50.
 Next year Im going to Benidorm to see Jacqui drinking in the street . 

[stoop]

It's not just tourism affected as it then moves on to loss of jobs and then loss of revenue fom income tax. They will probably lose revenue from people not drinking as much too. So in the end the tax made will probably not cover what they lose.

I think it's all about Turkey looking east rather than west at the moment. Hopefully it will change in the future. I bet prices won't go down though!

[Christie]

We have been going to Turkey twice a year for the last 20 years, and we have booked for 4 weeks this June.  However we are seeing how we get on in June, before we think about booking again for September.  Like others, we are not big drinkers normally, but we do go out for a meal and have a drink every night when on holiday and if it becomes to expensive then we will most likely go back to Spain - happy hour drinks etc. results in less expense  - in Fuengirola they are offering beer / coffee/ wine etc. for 1 Euro in some places - even in our 4 star hotel in happy hour (of which there are many) beer only costs 1.60 Euro.  We have already worked out that going to Spain self catering in better accommodation than we have in Calis - eating out every night will work out roughly the same at Turkey.   We do however, like many others, love going back to Calis year after year, but if drinks/meals go up any more we will definitely be looking elsewhere.  it is a shame for all the hard working  bar/restaurant owners in the tourist parts of Turkey who are going to suffer as a result of these increases.   

[Jacqui Harvey]

IMHO I will go to Turkey and pay more because we love it there.  I will not go elsewhere because it's cheaper. I want to be in Turkey not Spain.   If I did go elseswhere  I would not enjoy my holiday half as much and the whole point of holidays is to be somewhere you love and want to be. 
I just got a face time call from my Daughter who was sitting down at Georges in 32 degrees of heat. It looked lovely even had a word with Yusef.  It made me really sad I am not there just now.

[Marggie]

Personally I don't think entry to the EU would be good for Turkey.  However, they are getting massive finance from the EU at the moment and since the time they have been looking to join but they are clearly looking to The East.   

http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/instruments/funding-by-country/turkey/index_en.htm

[usedbustickets]

The people who come to this site are by and large Turkophiles, and you'd expect them to 'put up with prices etc.' on the basis that they like/love the place and are more forgiving on some of the things going on.  However, the situation for the vast swathe of UK holidaymakers is not the same at all, prices are very important, and of course Turkey has to compete against the prejudice of the majority of holidaymakers have based on some pre-concieved wrong ideas of Turkey.  Usually only overcome by coming here.

I am not sure about holiday makers from other countries whether they will be put off, but I am sure that many UK visistors will, and that will have a bigger or perhaps more disproportionate impact on Calis/Fethiye which are usually seen as a Brits destination.

[marina]

usedbustickets - there's a lot of truth in what you say there.  You could probably include us in the Turkophiles description and we hope to be enjoying holidays there for a few more years to come!  But, as we don't own our own place there, we are not tied to any particular country for holidays and there will only be so much we do put up with.

Jacqui says that she wouldn't enjoy holidays any other place than Turkey which is her choice of course.  But to me, there are so many other lovely places to visit which I now feel I want to explore along with Turkey.  But if prices rise to such an extent that it means one holiday a year to Turkey OR two or three holidays to other, cheaper, but just as inviting countries then I know which I will choose.

Jacqui also joked earlier, in another topic, about Benidorm - well a couple of years ago we went to a place just a few miles down the coast from there although it could have been a million miles in terms of the difference in resorts.  It was a beautiful little place , absolutely glorious beaches (which many on the Costa Blanca are) and loads of eating places.  We were recommended to go a restaurant overlooking the marina and the bay which did a good 'Menu of the Day'.  I can honestly say it was the best, both in terms of excellent food and value for money we've ever had anywhere.  About 10 euro for 3 excellent courses and a half a bottle of wine each!

We may be Turkophiles but we're not blinkered, and lots of others will feel the same. 

[Scunner]

I'm a Maldivesophile, it's just that I can afford to go there three times a year these days