Turkey: High Taxes Major Problem for Caravan Tourism
A young engineering graduate entered the caravan rental business to make caravan travelling possible in Turkey, where high taxes impede caravan ownership
Casavan is the only caravan rental firm in Turkey that has contracts with international caravan agencies like Motorhomes Worldide and Motorhome Republic, Öztoprak says. The government of Turkey’s 84 percent of tax imposed on caravans has constituted a major obstacle for travelling with a caravan, according to Çağrı Öztoprak, director general of Casavan, one of Turkey’s few caravan rental firms.
Casavan has been offering caravan rentals for more than a year with a total of four caravans as a beginning phase, Öztoprak said, speaking to the Hürriyet Daily News in an interview last week. It is the only caravan rental firm in Turkey that has contracts with international tourism agencies.
Observing the caravan travel shortage in Turkey, Öztoprak, who is an engineering graduate, decided to establish Casavan with Onur Gülmen and Mehmet Kayki, his friends from university.
“We have faced difficulties after entering the caravan sector,” Öztoprak said. “Turkey imposed 84 percent of special consumption taxes [SCT] on caravan ownership. However, if the caravan is older than five years, there is no tax. Therefore, we have been obliged to buy vehicles older than five years and then service and refurbish them.”
Casavan aims to increase the number of its caravans each year, Öztoprak said, adding that another problem they face is the insufficient caravan production. “There are maybe nine or 10 caravan manufacturers in Turkey. As caravanning does not improve, caravan manufacturing does not develop. Therefore, it is not easy to find companies supplying proper caravans,” he said.
Travelling with a caravan is a dream for Turkish people, Öztoprak said, adding that those who endeavor to make this dream come true have to face the SCT imposed on caravans. “We try to help people by offering a caravan rental service.”
Following his nearly one-year stay in Australia, Öztoprak decided to enter the sector with the aim of offering a “motorhome rental” service in Turkey. “Even though Australia is a big continent, people prefer to travel with caravans. Caravan usage is very common in Australia and it is quite a developed sector,” he said.
Foreign customers and prices
The number of domestic customers was higher last year, Öztoprak said, adding that the number of foreign customers also has begun to increase thanks to promotion conducted abroad and the launch of the company’s website. “We began to receive requests from foreigners this year above expectations. Foreign customers of Casavan are mainly from Australia, New Zealand and European countries such as France, Belgium and Spain.”
Casavan also works with various agencies from Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and the United Kingdom that offer only “caravan tourism,” Öztoprak said. “By doing it this way, we offer services for foreign customers who want to tour Turkey by caravan.”
Casavan offers two caravan models: a four-to-six-people “alcove type” and a two-to-three-person “camper type.”
The daily rental price for an alcove-type caravan is 160 euros during the high season from June to September, however, the price decreases to 120 euros for the low season. High-season daily rental price for a camper-type caravan is 110 euros and 80 euros during the low season.
July 8, 2011
SOURCE: Hürriyet Daily News
