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Bodrum welcomes over half a million foreign tourists, expects extended season

Bodrum welcomes over half a million foreign tourists, expects extended season

From Cumhuriyet · () Turkish

Translated from Turkish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Context piece
  • Bodrum welcomed over half a million foreign tourists in the first seven months of the year.
  • Hotels report over 90% occupancy, with strong demand from the UK, Russia, Poland, Germany, and the Netherlands.
  • Tourism officials anticipate an extended season into September and October, with prices dropping after the peak summer months.

Bodrum, a premier global tourism destination, is experiencing a robust tourism season. Hotels are operating at over 90% capacity, with average temperatures reaching 35-40 degrees Celsius and sea temperatures around 25-26 degrees. Tourists are enjoying boat tours, historical sites, and a vibrant array of events including ballet festivals, concerts, and water sports.

Alişir Şahin, Vice President of the Bodrum Hoteliers Association, reported that 468,600 foreign tourists arrived by air between January and July, with the UK, Russia, Poland, Germany, and the Netherlands leading the numbers. An additional 80,650 tourists arrived via cruise ships, bringing the total foreign visitors to 549,500. While this represents a slight decrease of 6-7% compared to last year, domestic tourism has seen an increase, with many Turks choosing Bodrum for their holidays.

Şahin noted that July and August have seen high occupancy rates, with expectations for similar figures in August. The focus now shifts to September and October, which attract a different demographic, particularly older visitors. "All our facilities are focused on September, and we are waiting for our guests," Şahin stated, expressing satisfaction with the current tourism performance.

Bodrum'a hava yoluyla 468 bin 600 yabancı turist geldi. Yıllardan beri ilk sırada İngiltere, Rusya, Polonya, Almanya ve Hollanda olmak üzere sıralama, bu şekilde devam ediyor. Aynı zamanda kruvaziyer, 80 bin 650 yabancı turist getirdi. Ocak ve temmuz ayları arasında yurt dışından toplam 549 bin 500 turist geldi. Geçen yıla göre kıyasladığımız zaman yaklaşık yüzde 6-7 bandında bir düşüş söz konusu ama aynı zamanda iç pazarda da bir artış var. İç pazar, Bodrum'u çok seviyor. Bu yıl da aynı şekilde tatil rotalarını Bodrum'da çevirmiş oldular. Temmuz ayında doluluklar iyi oldu. Ağustos ayında temmuza benzer olarak otellerimizde yüzde 90 bandında bir doluluk söz konusu ve devam ediyor

— Alişir ŞahinBodrum Hoteliers Association Vice President Alişir Şahin detailing foreign and domestic tourist numbers and hotel occupancy rates.

Regarding pricing, Şahin mentioned that last-minute bookings have been common. While August offers opportunities for various budgets, prices are expected to drop by about 20% in September compared to August, depending on the hotel's location and concept. "There are holiday opportunities suitable for every budget in August," he said, noting that room prices for bed and breakfast start at 8,000 Turkish Lira for two people, while all-inclusive options in 4-5 star hotels can be found for 12,000-13,000 Lira per night.

Tourism professional Zeynel Kılıç added that July and August have been particularly busy, with a shift towards domestic tourists after a foreign-dominated May and June. He expressed optimism for an extended season, stating, "Our expectation is that the season will be extended."

Bu yıl son dakika rezervasyonlarıyla gitti ve bu şekilde devam etti. Otellerimizde odalarımız mevcut. Ağustos ayında da fırsatlar devam ediyor. Eylül ayında, yüksek sezon bittikten sonra her tesiste fiyatlar düşüşe geçmiş oluyor. Arz ve talep dengesine bağlı olarak ağustos ayına göre fiyatlarda, eylül ayında genel anlamda yüzde 20 bandında düşüş söz konusu ama tesise ve konuma göre, konsepte göre değişen fiyat skalası devam etmiş olacak. Ağustos ayında ortalama, genel anlamda her bütçeye uygun tatil fırsatı var. Pansiyonlarda oda kahvaltı 2 kişi, oda fiyatı 8 bin liradan başlıyor. Her şey dahil 4-5 yıldızlı otellerde ise günlük 12-13 bin liraya oda bulmak mümkün

— Alişir ŞahinAlişir Şahin explaining pricing strategies and holiday opportunities in Bodrum for August and September.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Cumhuriyet in Turkish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.