PICTURES: ISTOCK
DESTINATIONS TURKEY
Take a
trip to
Turkey
Janine Kelso fi nds out
what’s new in the top
Brit destination
Turkey has overtaken Spain
as the top holiday
destination for UK
travellers, according to
research by Co-operative
Travel. The bleak economic climate,
coupled with the poor exchange rate
of the pound against the euro has
encouraged Brits to shun Spain in
favour of a cheaper break to Turkey.
The study found the average cost
of a holiday to Spain was £465,
compared with £357 to Turkey.
Analysis showed that bookings to
Majorca had fallen by 13%, while
bookings to Turkey had risen by 30%.
Figures from the Turkish Culture
and Tourism Offi ce reveal that eight
million people visited Istanbul in
2008, one million more than in 2007.
Turkish Culture and Tourism Offi ce
director Irfan Onal said: “British
people have visited Spain a lot over
the years.
“Now they want to travel
somewhere diff erent that is easy to
reach and good value for money.
Turkey has become that place as
it has sun, sea and sand, plus plenty
of culture.”
49 | Travel Weekly | November 14 2008
Jewel in the Crown Holidays
managing director Platon Loizou said:
“Turkey has performed well for 2008
and this can be put down to the fact it
is politically stable and, being outside
the eurozone, represents great value
for money.”
But it’s not all positive news for
Turkey. XL Leisure Group sent 45,000
people to Turkey in 2008, but its
collapse in September will have left
a big gap in the market. In response,
Thomas Cook and TUI Travel are
expanding capacity for 2009. Olympic
Holidays is also planning to increase
capacity following a successful
summer.
Olympic Holidays’ commercial
director Photis Lambrianides said:
“With hotel prices comparing
favourably to other Mediterranean
destinations and fi rst-rate standards
of accommodation, Turkey is very
much a destination for the future.”
He added: “We didn’t increase
our capacity to Turkey this year, but
summer performed well and with new
confi dence in the destination,
we are looking for increases
across the board in 2009.”
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