Antalya to lose $3.5 bn as tourists dodge Turkish resorts

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish resort city of Antalya will lose some $3.5 billion in tourism high season in 2016, Association of TourOperators of Russia said citing an Antalya City Council report.

In 2016, the city will fall short of its initial target, missing about 3 million tourists from Russia and other CIS countries, as well as over 1.75 million from Europe.

Average spending of foreign tourists will drop from $755 registered in 2015, with an average holidaymaker set to spend $400-500 a week this year.

Thus, according to the forecast, Antalya will lose about $3.5 billion by the end of the season.

According to the Antalya City Council, the resort accommodated about 1.17 million foreign tourists in the first five months of 2016, down by 49% against the same period last year.

Antalya Airport said, in turn, that it will receive about 5.37 million foreign tourists, which is by 44% less than figures registered last year.