Tourism Boost during Ramadan Holiday and Mid-Term Break

The tourism sector has seen a surge in activity due to the Ramadan Bayram holiday and the mid-term break. Tourists are booking more reservations compared to last year’s Ramadan Bayram, and tourism professionals are hopeful that this positive momentum will lead to a strong start to the summer season.

This year, the mid-term break for schools coincides with the Ramadan Bayram holiday. Students will leave school on Friday, March 28, after the mid-term break and return on Monday, April 7. The Ramadan Bayram holiday will start on March 29, with the eve (Arife) day, and end on Tuesday, April 1.

The period has created a boost in tourism as people look to visit relatives during the holiday and take advantage of the mid-term break for family vacations.

Mehmet İşler, Vice President of the Turkish Hoteliers Federation (TÜROFED), told Anadolu Agency that the holiday season would lead to an early start for the tourism season.

Stating that holidays and breaks were significant for Turkish tourism, İşler added:
“This year, we are seeing a 15% increase in holiday bookings compared to last year. There are price options for every budget. In the Aegean region, daily prices for a two-room guesthouse or a 5-star hotel start at 2,000 lira, going up to 10,000 lira, including breakfast.
With the drop in inflation, our citizens have the advantage of finding accommodations that fit their budgets. With the arrival of the Bayram holiday, the tourism sector will start the 2025 season early, and the season will continue. The timing of the Bayram holiday in early April will contribute to the early opening of the tourism season.”

İşler mentioned that Bayram holiday reservations had reached 70% and that they expect full occupancy during the holiday period.

Early Reservations at Peak Levels

Orhan Belge, President of the Çeşme Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association, also noted the continued increase in reservations for the Bayram and mid-term break.

Belge expressed that the Bayram and mid-term break would provide valuable insights for tourism professionals regarding the summer season. He mentioned that due to high demand, they might have to end the early reservation period, which they had started in November, earlier than planned.

Expressing his satisfaction with the interest in Çeşme, Belge advised guests to act quickly: “Guests should make their reservations soon. They may have difficulty finding availability in Çeşme this year.”