Gold has always been the preferred saving method in Turkey That's why there are so many jewellers.
It's not just to satisfy the tourist market. It's amazing the amount of gold on show if you're lucky enough to be invited to a Turkish engagement party or wedding.
I think we often forget that the Turkey the majority of us see is just the Western, commercialised edge of a huge country and, although the USD, Euro, or £ might have an effect on the economy, most Turks's have a far better understanding of the value of gold than a currency they've never seen.