Are You Still Going?

[yabanci]

Figures released yesterday by the Turkish Tourism Ministry show visitor numbers to Turkey down by 34.7% for May and down 22.9% for the first 5 months as a whole. Hopefully June figures will be better but following last nights attack in Istanbul,visitor numbers for July onwards could be hit.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkeys-struggling-tourism-sector-hopes-to-reap-diplomatic-fruits-as-foreign-arrivals-plunge.aspx?pageID=238&nID=100998&NewsCatID=349

[Rana]

Many people probably already booked their summer holiday so depends whether they still go. I fly to Istanbul in 4 weeks for connection to Dalaman and yes i will still be going. Hopefully all will be fine, and Airport security will be double after attack. Highly unlikely anyone can enter inside a Turkish Airport without security checks. Security is tight but now needs to up a level.

[Tracesimmo]

I cannot believe the atrocities that are currently going on in such a beautiful country.  I for one, will still definitely be coming in 7 weeks, the only thing that would stop me is if the Foreign Office advise not to.

We all need to stand up for Turkey and show our support by still travelling and enjoying the culture.  I can't wait to be there.

Stay strong!

[Jacqui Harvey]

Unfortunately, Trip Advisor is full of people asking is it safe to come and also people who are cancelling. 
We like other will be there in September and hopefully there will not be a F.O warning not to fly to Turkey.

[stoop]

Sat in Dalaman airport now.

We were stopped just before Gocek and the driver had to show his papers. Then at the airport entrance they had mirrors to look underneath vehicles but again just checked his papers. They did look inside the cab this time, saw us and waived us through.

Airport front very well manned. Scanners same as always but the second scan was very thorough and we had to take out cameras, razors, iPads and phones which were all sent through on their own.

Monarch desk was empty. Maggie was told there are about 30 spare seats on the plane.

Also no FB or Twitter loading. Is that a block?

Worrying times! We were a little aprehensive this morning and I'll be glad when we are safely home.

[philrose]

Hopefully this sort of thing will not be a trend in the local restaurants and bars...
http://www.muglaturk.com/oludenizde_boyle_kavga_ettiler_haber219.html

[usedbustickets]

Can't say I am completely shocked by this report Phil.  Things are quieter than at any time I have seen before, particularly in Olu and Hissy.  Sad to say I'd expect tempers to rise between 'competitors' for providing tourist services, particularly those where there is an oversupply of providers. The disagreements will not all end up in fights, but there will be all sorts of dirty ticks and arguments applied between one another in order to, in many cases, simply survive the season.

[Colwyn]

Curiously the chap I was chatting to who had holiday aparts in Marmaris put down the lack of holiday-makers this season to them having finally woken up to way they being ripped off there - e.g. 5TL for a small bottle of water. I thought this was an extraordinary conclusion, but didn't argue the point with him.

[bewva]

Many people probably already booked their summer holiday so depends whether they still go. I fly to Istanbul in 4 weeks for connection to Dalaman and yes i will still be going. Hopefully all will be fine, and Airport security will be double after attack. Highly unlikely anyone can enter inside a Turkish Airport without security checks. Security is tight but now needs to up a level.

When I came back last week there was a queue of about 200 people trying to get into Dalaman airport through the first scanners.
This is an area where they need to speed up to get people into the airport and scanned.

[Rana]

I agree Bewva as long as speeding up doesn't include negligence. I don't mind waiting longer for security checks if done thoroughly. Maybe the answer is to get people into the building as quick as possible by employing more staff but still doing thorough checks.