An alarming signal came from the Turkish Bodrum, where at the height of the beach season staff were laid off in hotels. The reason is an incorrect pricing policy, the consequences of which diverted the foreign rich. Antalya may be next, experts say. Details were reported by the Turkish portal Turkiye Turizm.
Hoteliers explained that hotel occupancy in the peak season is only 55-60%, which is very different from normal figures. In Bodrum on the Aegean Sea, there are mostly 5-star premium hotels, but due to the constant increase in prices, they remained only half full. According to sector representatives, luxury hotels have increased in price by up to 40% due to inflation.
As Yigit Girgin, a representative of the Association of Professional Hotel Managers (POYD) of Bodrum, noted, the outflow of personnel began due to the lack of the required level of hotel occupancy. At the same time, Antalya is still finding the strength to face this problem. Tourism officials have also expressed concern that the Airbnb-like vacation rental market has created an informal economy that is also affecting luxury hotel occupancy. The result of the constant increase in accommodation prices is the lack of the necessary percentage of vacationers to make a profit and the reduction of staff.
Skeptics blame online booking sites such as Airbnb and call on the government to limit their activity in Turkey’s resort areas to protect the interests of hoteliers. Representatives of the sector are convinced that the layoffs are the last chance for recovery and hope to improve the situation with the arrival of August, when tourists may be more active. However, is it only up to them? Besides, what motivates tourists to turn to booking services en masse, if hotels, in their opinion, offer optimal prices?
“Occupancy in August is less than 70%. We’re not even talking about September. The Germans did not come because of the prices, and Ukrainians and Russians do not come because of the war. The reason was an incorrect pricing policy, the expert noted and added that the actual condition of the top segment hotels in Bodrum turned out to be lower than the expected level. — First of all, the incorrect price policy led to the fact that tourists of the higher segment preferred to go to other destinations than to come to Bodrum. Redundancies in the tourism sector are very limited and should be a last resort.”
Antalya next?
The situation also affected other regions, such as Antalya, where tourists complain massively about prices. However, hoteliers do not want to “reset” price tags. The main resort province in the south of Turkey, which in recent decades was the “mecca of tourism” for our compatriots, currently raises many questions and claims.
“Antalya is resisting the turbulent season. The province has barely resumed employment. New employees are trained and hired. Hotels prevent the dismissal of staff. We look forward to August. After this time, the prices will not decrease. Hot weather also increases costs. For example, our air conditioners work around the clock. We have to persevere,” said the expert. Betting on the current conditions for August, it turns out that Antalya hoteliers did not conclude the alarming message they received from their neighbor, the resort town of Bodrum.