Tourism target in Alanya faces difficulty: "The goal is no longer realistic"

The 2025 tourism season may fall short of its targets for Antalya and Alanya.

Despite a busy start to the year, Kaan Kavaloğlu, President of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association (AKTOB), announced that the expectation of 18 million tourists is no longer realistic.

Kavaloğlu stated that as of July 16, the number of tourists arriving in Antalya exceeded 7.5 million, roughly the same as last year. However, the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war and tensions in the Middle East have led to a decline in bookings from certain markets.

While there has been a drop in tourist numbers from Germany and Russia, there has been an increase in visitors from countries such as the UK and Poland. A target of 5.6 million tourists has been set for July and August. If this is achieved, the total number of tourists could exceed 17 million.

POLAND BECOMES A GROWING MARKET

Kavaloğlu emphasized the remarkable growth of the Polish market, saying, “Poland has now become an important market for Antalya.” He also noted that the Netherlands, Kazakhstan, and Baltic countries are among the rising markets.

The fact that Turks living in Europe prefer to spend their holidays in their hometowns and the stability of the domestic market are considered key strengths of the season.

EXCHANGE RATE POLICY CHALLENGES PROFITABILITY

Despite revenue being earned in euros, rising costs in Turkish Lira and current exchange rate policies are lowering profitability for businesses. It was also noted that prices cannot be significantly raised due to stagnant income levels in Europe.

Kavaloğlu underlined that Antalya still offers high-standard vacations at more affordable prices compared to rival destinations like Greece:

“Greek islands may be popular, but Turkey remains an attractive destination thanks to the quality of its hotels and service standards.”