Post by The March Hare on Sept 25, 2006 14:31:01 GMT 1
Holidays to Turkey Down to £20
Sunday, 17 September 2006
Package holiday prices to Turkey have been slashed as tour operators try to sell off their remaining places. The recent bomb attacks on top of an already poor season have prompted Travelcare an online discount holiday provider, to offer self catering packages to Oludeniz and Marmaris, including flights for as little as £20 (Departing today). Their website is now listing 27 packages to all the main resorts in Turkey from £59 – unbelievably cheap!
Several companies have been unable to survive the downturn in bookings this season with Tapestry Holidays going bust last month. But it’s not only Turkey that has seen a downturn. One large international operator has been quoted as saying they have had the worst season for 15 years and another is expecting £15 million losses. There is the usual blame game going around with operators saying the hot UK summer, World Cup and the recent terrorist threat and the impact on new security measures at UK airports have been keeping the tourists at home this year.
Certainly the South West of Britain has recorded a bumper year for tourists. However, whilst the early summer was indeed hot, the rest of August and early September have not been up to Mediterranean standards. Not only that the extra visitors have had to endure lengthy delays on all the main roads entering the region. On any Saturday during the season it wasn’t uncommon to see 8 – 10 miles traffic jams on the A30 and M5. Camp sites have been full and resorts congested. Add to that the cost of holidaying in the UK, cottage rentals around £1,500, petrol costs and the cost of eating out all add up and whilst those holiday makers were stuck in the 10 mile queue they might have been thinking was it worth it?
But some of the blame for stay at home tourists might sit elsewhere. For Turkish tourism the impacts of a stronger Lira coupled with inflationary increased last year has kept some visitors from returning. We spoke with tourists last year who said that whilst they loved the hospitality and friendliness of the Turkish people the price of eating out and alcohol were much higher than the previous year and that they would be looking elsewhere for their next holiday.
So what about next year? The heavy losses expected by tour operators this year are bound to impact on the range and volume of holiday’s available next season as the tour operators look carefully at expected numbers. This could result in holidays to some destinations being reduced or cut altogether. But most things work in cycles and we might find numbers are back up again next year. If they do increase we could find a shortage of cheap holidays and flights.
In the meantime why not pick up a cheap deal and enjoy a week of two in Turkey!
Sunday, 17 September 2006
Package holiday prices to Turkey have been slashed as tour operators try to sell off their remaining places. The recent bomb attacks on top of an already poor season have prompted Travelcare an online discount holiday provider, to offer self catering packages to Oludeniz and Marmaris, including flights for as little as £20 (Departing today). Their website is now listing 27 packages to all the main resorts in Turkey from £59 – unbelievably cheap!
Several companies have been unable to survive the downturn in bookings this season with Tapestry Holidays going bust last month. But it’s not only Turkey that has seen a downturn. One large international operator has been quoted as saying they have had the worst season for 15 years and another is expecting £15 million losses. There is the usual blame game going around with operators saying the hot UK summer, World Cup and the recent terrorist threat and the impact on new security measures at UK airports have been keeping the tourists at home this year.
Certainly the South West of Britain has recorded a bumper year for tourists. However, whilst the early summer was indeed hot, the rest of August and early September have not been up to Mediterranean standards. Not only that the extra visitors have had to endure lengthy delays on all the main roads entering the region. On any Saturday during the season it wasn’t uncommon to see 8 – 10 miles traffic jams on the A30 and M5. Camp sites have been full and resorts congested. Add to that the cost of holidaying in the UK, cottage rentals around £1,500, petrol costs and the cost of eating out all add up and whilst those holiday makers were stuck in the 10 mile queue they might have been thinking was it worth it?
But some of the blame for stay at home tourists might sit elsewhere. For Turkish tourism the impacts of a stronger Lira coupled with inflationary increased last year has kept some visitors from returning. We spoke with tourists last year who said that whilst they loved the hospitality and friendliness of the Turkish people the price of eating out and alcohol were much higher than the previous year and that they would be looking elsewhere for their next holiday.
So what about next year? The heavy losses expected by tour operators this year are bound to impact on the range and volume of holiday’s available next season as the tour operators look carefully at expected numbers. This could result in holidays to some destinations being reduced or cut altogether. But most things work in cycles and we might find numbers are back up again next year. If they do increase we could find a shortage of cheap holidays and flights.
In the meantime why not pick up a cheap deal and enjoy a week of two in Turkey!
