President of TÜRSAB: “Government has been preventing the rise of foreign exchange for a long time”

Firuz Bağlıkaya, the President of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB), stated that the government had been preventing the rise of foreign exchange for a long time, thus causing difficulties for hoteliers.

A delegation led by Firuz Bağlıkaya, President of TÜRSAB, visited Russia to convey condolences following the terrorist attack in Moscow-Crocus City on March 22, 2024. During the visit, a meeting was held with the representatives of the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR).

According to ATOR’s bulletin, Bağlıkaya emphasized that since 2022, due to inflation, the costs of products, services, and energy in Turkey had increased several times. Bağlıkaya also explained that the government had been preventing the appreciation of the dollar and euro against the Turkish lira for a long time, which put pressure on hotels.

During the meeting, the President of TÜRSAB shared the opinion that the exchange rates in Turkey would soon become realistic. In this case, Bağlıkaya argued that there would not be a significant increase in the prices of Turkish holidays.

Highlighting the flexible pricing policy of the Turkish tourism sector, Bağlıkaya stated, “Last summer, when arrivals from the Russian market decreased, hoteliers had already lowered their prices by September. Russia is Turkey’s number one market. Germany ranks second in terms of tourist flow. We hope that Russia will maintain its leading position.”

Bağlıkaya also added that Turkish tourism professionals are aiming for a level of visitors from the Russian market similar to last year’s (6 million), albeit cautiously.