In Istanbul, problems with tourism began, which are especially felt by small businesses that depend on tourists. Although the official figures for the decline are still small, many traders in the popular areas of Eminen, Sultanahmet, and Beyoglu are complaining of such severe declines in visitors that they are about to have to close. Among the reasons, experts cite the turbulent situation in the Middle East, Turkish inflation, and rising prices, which increased the natural decline of tourists due to cold weather.
According to the Turkish publication Turizm Guncel, the report of the Istanbul Provincial Tourism and Culture Department recorded a moderate decline. The number of foreign tourists who came to Istanbul in December 2023 decreased by only 4% compared to the same month last year. But from the side of the tourist-oriented business, everything feels different.
“Compared to last year, the number of tourists has decreased significantly. Last year at this time, our restaurant was full two or three times a day, and now there are very few visitors. Only sometimes large groups come,” said Abdullah Bilir, one of the owners of a local catering outlet.
It is not easier for sellers who count on shopping tourists. Atlas Passage, located on Istiklal Street in Istanbul, where tourists come for textiles and souvenirs, is also almost empty. Shop owners complain that sometimes they do not see a single customer, and as a result, they cannot pay rent for their shops. “There are no tourists now. We have reached the point where we cannot pay the rent,” said Sinan Yigit, one of the traders.
There are several reasons for the drop in the number of tourists here. First, it is the low cold season after the New Year holidays. Secondly, the inflation situation in Turkey,, among other things, discourages foreigners who have settled in Turkey and locals from shopping in popular places, all trying to save money. And finally, as the interlocutors of the publication assure, tourists with money – from Arab countries, as well as from Europe – are scared away by the turbulent situation in the Middle East. Although the current hotspots do not directly border Turkey, the entire region has to suffer.