Tourist numbers are down!

[tinkerman]

I've been to the airport twice very recently and it was busiest I have ever seen it, maybe they are just not coming in this direction?

[trainer]

looking at the BA website you can also exchange Tesco points for Avios points then redeem them for cash off just like Monarch shame they will only be flying from Gatwick   

[deejohn]

According to a Fethiye Times article tourist numbers for this area are well down on previous years, occupancy rates at about 60%.

I blame the tour operators for their hugely inflated initial flight prices which accounts for the fact that many remained unsold and you can now pick up a flight at a fraction of their original selling prices so they can try to fill the many empty seats on their planes.

I cannot see why this is surprising. If you look at tourism in general most countries are way down on what it use to be. All to do with economy.

[makemwonder]

Flights from Newcastle are never very cheap but then Ive looked at coming over September this year but the hotel I stayed last year for the same dates is double what I paid last year? I would expect it at peak times but not toward end of season it seems they are happy to hold out for £30 a night and remain empty than fill the place for £20 a night?.

[BernieTeyze]

Sorry yes Ie got that wrong. Another site is saying £160 per parent per child,reduced if you pay by a certain time. You are still liable for prosecution if you don't pay by then. Don't know where I read £1,000 per child from.. If we book that holiday anyway, what's going to happen? What can the school do about it?

No one's going to come and confiscate your passports or expel your kids but your school's head teacher can impose a penalty notice fine of £120 per child, per parent. Note that, according to the Department of Education, the fines are per period your child is out of school and not per day and they also reduce down to £60 if paid within 21 days.

For some families coughing up £60 per child when they're saving hundreds by booking their holiday in, say, June instead of August, will be a small price to pay.

Be warned though that if you were to leave the fine unpaid for more than 28 days, you'll face court proceedings and possibly subsequent prosecution.

Bear in mind too that the fines are discharging your liability for criminal prosecution, as taking your child out of school when it is not authorised is actually an offence and therefore is not to be taken lightly

[desmartinson]

To be honest Des. we don't got to Calis from one week to the next, (except when I am power walking for exercise) we prefer the new kordon in Fethiye.
[/quote] Have to agree with you there Mark, I too spend more time in Fethye now, better restaurants and food, of course there is good and bad everywhere but I feel Calis prom has gone downhill rapidly over the last 5 years, better places to go in Calis away from the prom ive found.

[lance]

Better places yes, places where you can sit down on a bench or chair not  a 6-8 inch concrete wall very hard to sit on ,if you can get down that low .I think it's disgusting a nice place to have a stroll ,but nowhere to sit 

[Colwyn]

According to numerous articles in Today's Zaman and Hurriyet, Turkey is expecting fewer European visitors this year. In the Antalya region where Germans were the most numerous tourists last year has seen 1.7% fewer coming from Germany so far. However, this decline is expected to be balanced by more tourists from the Middle East (including Israel), the Gulf, and Iran and by a strong increase in Turkish tourists visiting the coastal resorts. In Antalya province the rise in tourists Jan-Jun this year was 5.6%. I guess this will show as a shift in the kind of resorts favoured, styles of accommodation and activities pursued but, overall, tourism is still growing in Turkey - just not so fast as in recent years.


http://www.todayszaman.com/news-351923-antalya-tourism-numbers-show-slower-growth-in-h1.html

[JohnF]

According to a Fethiye Times article tourist numbers for this area are well down on previous years, occupancy rates at about 60%.

I blame the tour operators for their hugely inflated initial flight prices which accounts for the fact that many remained unsold and you can now pick up a flight at a fraction of their original selling prices so they can try to fill the many empty seats on their planes.

I cannot see why this is surprising. If you look at tourism in general most countries are way down on what it use to be. All to do with economy.

Are they?  As I already posted Spain is on the up, the Greeks are forecasting a bumper year this year (Athens occupancy rate 25.4% up on 2013 for first five months of 2014) and surprisingly TURSAB are forecasting 43m visitors for this year, up from 39m last year.  Portugal are also looking at a rise in numbers although Italy seems to be suffering as they are 4/5% down on last year.

The one area Portugal and Turkey have in common is where the increases are from - UAE and other Arabic countries.  I know the increased presence of visitors from this region in Istanbul is quite noticeable at times.  Especially when you get the Arabic version of the menu by mistake...

I was in Fethiye last week and it felt quiet for the time of year - but considering its only the second time I've been in five years I'm probably not the best judge.

JF

[Harley]

This decrease isn't down to one particular thing it s a combination of The world economy, hefty fines for families taking their out of school, inflated air fares, the fact that Turkey isn't as cheap as it was a few years back and with Calis in particular,  the everlasting road works that may have put last years tourist off.

Ok British tourists seem to be on the decrease with more foreign nations visiting the area. Is this a bad thing. ?   NO ! It's nice to have a mixture rather than little Britain Turkish style.