In an attempt to hold on to the tourists and support tourism, the Turkish government has decided to provide 6,000 US dollars in grants to charter organizers in Scandinavia and other countries in Europe, which comes in an aircraft with more than 100 passengers. It happens after the decline in tourism to Turkey after bombings, political unrest and threat of new terror
The agreement applies only to charter organizers, not travel agents.
The agreement was originally to be effective in April and May to five airports two cope with low load factors.
But the agreement has now been extended and valid until September.
”It is meant for charter flights only as far as I know. Even if we get a grant of 6,000 US Dollars per aircraft we will lose money compared to last summer. For the price of travel to Turkey has fallen by about 10 percent, about 100 US dollars, compared with last summer.
Even if we get a grant of 6,000 US Dollars in a plane with 189 passengers, we will lose about 6,000 US Dollars compared to what we got last summer.
But we want to keep Turkey, and people also like to travel to Turkey.
So I hope that travels together have made a profit when the season is over, “says Peder Hornshøj, CEO Bravo Tours and Sun Tours and chairman for “RID Charter Organizers in Denmark.”
“We welcome the initiative from the Turkish Government. This is absolutely helping in a difficult period, where demand for Turkey is a little bit down and sales prices at the moment below normal.
The subsidy is per flight landing in Turkey with more than 100 passengers. For the Tour operators in RID in Denmark 8 of us will get part of the subsidies and probably 1 or 2 more outside RID will get it.
It is difficult to say how much money, it is a help, but it will not cover the missing income we are losing because of lower prices and cancelled flights.
My guess is that the decline from Denmark to Turkey in summer 16 will be between 15 and 20 %. But Turkey will still be one of the biggest destinations from Denmark. The third biggest country with tourists flights from DK.
The people not flying to Turkey this summer, is flying to Greece, to Spain and Portugal mainly. But also other destinations as ex Bulgaria,” says Peder Hornshøj.
Not to travel agencies in Sweden
“In Sweden we are not aware of any grants to travel agencies in regard to supporting tourism to Turkey. We don’t have any statistics of the decline in trips to Turkey, but there seems to be a higher demand for trips to Europe and countries like Spain, Italy and Greece instead of Turkey this year.” says Anna Lennhammer, Secretary General and Managing Director, SRF, Association of Swedish Agents and Tour Operators.
There are complex conditions for the subsidies. They only apply to flights by planes with 100 seats or more. At least 11 passengers of the relevant incoming agency must be on the flight, regardless of which tour operator they booked with. The $6,000 subsidy is then divided up according to the number of passengers whose agency has the right to apply for funding.
Leisure airlines in Germany are cutting back capacity to Turkey this summer in response to the slump in bookings, forcing tour operators to reschedule flight times for booked passengers. Experts predict a 25% drop in German visitor numbers to Antalya this summer.
Condor, for example, has cut about one third of its capacity to Turkey this summer but Thomas Cook and Neckermann Reisen are aiming to ensure that passengers can still fly on the same day as they originally booked.
DER Touristik, with a 20% reduction in flight capacity, and TUI, which is rerouting TUIfly services, is also trying to keep the flight time changes as minimal as possible.
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