RE high priced thompson exclusive hotels in calis will put clients off calis

[Scunner]

I still believe that hotel prices are not the issue that will harm Turkey this year - it is it's moving from budget location to fairly expensive location with lower facility levels that will do that. Examples including alcohol and meat prices which are two major components of any holiday. 

On the subject of hotels, it's difficult to know who to blame and/or who to sympathise with. You can't blame the Oykun or Mutlu for signing exclusive deals with Thomsons - other companies play too many games like booking in dozens of families then ringing days before their arrival demanding a lower price from the hotel or they will pull out and put their customers elsewhere. In most situations where people on arrival are transferred to a different hotel due to "overbooking", it is not that at all - the hotel's dirty games didn't work. If you go and find the hotel you originally booked, it is rarely full or even close to it. A dependable income (which I understand Thomsons is) will be invaluable and no wonder they grasp it with both hands.

On the other side of the coin the hotels aren't exactly helping themselves either. I can book through sunshine or travel republic 24 hours a day 365 days a year; direct to the hotel nobody picks up the phone or replies to emails from November to April. And these hotels showing up on travel republic at £4 a night - try booking direct to at least allow them to have all the £4 and not pay a middle man a share - they want £28 a night or something ridiculous!

[angela]

I do think it is luck of the draw what you get. We have a week in Istanbul at Easter, two wks Calis in June and 16 nights Calis in August with Easyjet booked for this year, and we have spent about £1000 for two of us. The August flights were a real bargain at just over £400, and we just found those searching randomly ( Istanbul from Luton, Dalaman fom Gatwick)