The changing face of tourism in Turkey has burnt a vital bridge between east and west

Turkey has become a popular destination for Arab tourists who feel at home while enjoying the liberties of an almost European country. The surge has helped keep the nation’s struggling tourism sector afloat but, writes Sebnem Arsu, it’s also brought a cultural shift some locals believe it’s too late to reverse

Tuesday 03 September 2019 13:52 BST
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Istanbul has seen an almost 30 per cent rise in visitors from the Gulf
Istanbul has seen an almost 30 per cent rise in visitors from the Gulf

This fresh breath of democracy, this air of relief, will have a positive impact on this city,” Istanbul’s newly elected opposition mayor said, as public boats gracefully crisscrossed the Golden Horn. “We’re going to start promoting tourism globally – in Europe, America, the Far East, the Middle East, and in Arab countries – triggering a massive tourist influx.”

Ekrem Imamoglu, the Republican People’s Party mayor, who took over the helm of Turkey’s cultural capital from the pro-Islamic Justice and Development Party after 25 years, was referring to dwindling numbers of European tourists visiting Istanbul. Some say the dramatic decline came after the country was pulled into a whirlwind of violence post-2015, while others suggest the religiously inspired policies of the government created the trend. In 2015, Turkey’s tourism industry took a sharp dive after a series of fatal attacks, cutting the number of incoming foreign tourists to a historical low of around 25.5 million compared to nearly 37 million in 2014.

The following three years of instability saw tourism investors either shuttered or struggling to survive until they discovered a niche in the market that had long been left unnoticed: the Arab and Asian holidaymaker. “There used to be a Middle Eastern market, but it was only after Western tourists deserted Turkey that their importance came under the spotlight,” says Huseyin Kirk, chair of the Middle Eastern Tourism and Travel Agents Association (Otsad). “They proved themselves to be the most loyal guests of Turkey as they brushed off security concerns, continued arriving even after the coup attempt and kept spending and investing in our country.”

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