Data and analytics company GlobalData has found that Turkey will emerge as the destination of choice for budget-conscious travellers this year.
Research from its Traveller Spending Patterns database shows that in-destination spending is relatively low in Turkey, despite the average stay for inbound tourists (9,7 days) being the second-longest in Europe in 2021.
Even when taking into account an in-destination expenditure increase this year due to inflation, costs will still be substantially lower than in many of Europe’s top destinations.
The strength of the euro and sterling against the Turkish lira is also seen as another driving factor. For South Africans, the current conversion rate is R0,98 to the lira.
Travel and Tourism Analyst Craig Bradley said: “Turkey’s market position is likely to strengthen due to current consumer sentiment. In a GlobalData Q3 2021 Global Consumer Survey, 58% of respondents said cost was a key influencing factor when booking a trip.
“According to several of Europe’s leading tour operators, pent-up demand in the travel industry continues to grow. As a result, travel companies appear to be more confident in Turkey than they have been at any point during the pandemic, with some operators reporting similar capacity levels to 2019.”
