Its not only Russians who will stay away... I feel many from the UK will not be visiting in 2016, regulars will still visit, but prospective holiday makers will choose different locations , adding that this is right smack in the middle of the booking months ... Antalya area will miss the Russians ( and Russian numbers were down in 2015) and I think Mugla area will see a downturn in visiting Brits :-( these recent events, and it seems a growing anti islamic feeling with the UK public ...... have cast a much bigger shadow over Turkey and its tourism than `Midnight Express` `Bird Flu outbreak` 2010 earthquake` and other past headlines .
Yesterday` Daily Mirror `on line article reads that some Russian political nutter suggested to Putin`s aids, to ( in the Daily Mirror`s words ) Nuke Istanbul and kill 9 million turks as payback
a tongue in cheek comment it might have been, But gutter press will make a meal of comments like that and put into print for thousands to read in the UK is not going to help turkish tourism
Its surely going to be a bumpy ride 2016 for Turkey economically and may decimate a chunk of tourism :-(
However, come what may, as long as we can get on a plane in February, we will be back to our place over there in Hisaronu for 8 months next year again .we are in it for the long haul whatever happens , warts and all :-)