The 9-day holiday taken by the Council of Ministers has stimulated the tourism sector. After the decision, the occupancy rate in hotels reached 90 percent, while Firuz Bağlıkaya, President of the Turkish Travel Agencies Association (TÜRSAB), said, “Those who are experiencing financing difficulties will be able to apply for a holiday loan through travel agencies without going to the bank”.
The decision on the 9-day vacation, awaited by tourism sector, came out of the cabinet meeting yesterday. Vacationers began to change plans, extend their holidays. Domestic tourism, which will have a Sacrifice ( Eid al-Adha) holiday without pandemic restrictions after a long time later this year, has reached the 2019 figures. Most of the domestic tourists had made their plans for 7 nights, without waiting for the official extension of the holiday to 9 days. After the decision, the number of those who want to increase their 4-day vacation to 7 nights has also increased. And since last night, demand has increased by 20 percent. Schools are closed, exams are over, graduation ceremonies are completed, the festive holiday movement has doubled. Vacationers most of all prefer the Northern Aegean and Antalya this year.
Chairman of a prominent travel agency said that before the decision they also received a lot of requests for the holiday period, but after the decision they received many calls asking to increase their 4-day vacation to 7 days. Adding that there was a 20 percent increase in demand after the decision, he said, “If we compare the holidays, we are closer to the 2019 figures. Occupancy rates in the Antalya region exceeded 90 percent. The Aegean region is concentrated in the south with an occupancy of 70 percent… this holiday is very popular for tours that combine culture and the sea. Especially interest in the Black Sea and the Aegean is intense. These tours are preferred because they are more convenient than the resorts.”
