Business owners and tourism operators in Bodrum have reported that job losses have reached 45%, with hotels not achieving desired occupancy rates, and entertainment venues, restaurants, and beach clubs remaining empty.
Discontent among business owners and tourism operators
In recent times, business has been declining and Bodrum has frequently been in the spotlight for exorbitant prices. According to Selçuk Arslan of Duvar, business owners and tourism operators in the region underline that there has been a significant loss of business. While there has been a 20% contraction in the domestic market, there is an 11% increase in the foreign market.
Occupancy rates vary by hotel size
According to the information provided, large hotels that operate on an all-inclusive basis and have made sales through early bookings have an occupancy rate of around 90%. However, occupancy rates in boutique and smaller hotels have dropped to as low as 40%. At the beginning of the season, hotel occupancy rates had increased and peaked during the Eid al-Adha holiday. Despite an 11% increase in the foreign market compared to the same period last year, there is a 20% contraction in the domestic market.
45% loss among business owners
The tourism crisis in Bodrum has also impacted businesses. Medeni Özbilir, the operator of Aqua Restaurant, stated that a noticeable decline has occurred. Özbilir mentioned that there has been a 45% loss of business in Bodrum compared to last year. “There is a general problem at the Bodrum level. Business owners cannot operate, hotels are empty, and there seems to be a serious problem this year. I don't know if it will recover. There is a 45% decline compared to last year. When we talk to our fellow business owners, they say that there is an incredible decline. Guests coming for meals express that Bodrum is expensive. Turkey has become an expensive country. It has become a country where food and drinks are expensive. People prefer to stay at home more,” he said.
20% contraction in domestic market
Ömer Faruk Dengiz, Chairman of the Bodrum Hoteliers Association (BODER), shared data regarding the tourist crisis in Bodrum. Despite the increase in the foreign market, things are not going well, he said. Dengiz noted that due to the contraction in the domestic market, the occupancy rate in small hotels has dropped to 40%. “Looking at the rates of foreign guests coming to Bodrum, there is an 11% increase in the last six months compared to last year. Over 325,000 foreign passengers came by air. Over 46,000 foreign tourists came by sea. There was a 30% increase compared to the same period last year. The increase in the domestic market during Eid al-Adha is almost non-existent now. In this context, there is a 20% contraction in the domestic market. According to our discussions with relevant agencies, the turnover target was achieved, but there was a decrease in last-minute reservations. Five-star hotels have an occupancy rate of 90%, while three- and four-star establishments have an occupancy rate of between 40-60%,” he said.
Expecting an increase in the coming weeks
Dengiz pointed out that the decline in Bodrum is not happening for the first time and was also experienced during the same period last year. “There may be vacancies in some beach businesses, but some have full occupancy. Vacancies occur periodically. We cannot deny this, but it is true that some hotels are full while others are empty. This is not happening for the first time. The same thing happened last year. Hotels laid off staff. But later, business picked up. We foresee that Bodrum will be full in the coming weeks. There are external factors affecting occupancy. High inflation in Türkiye is a factor. The low exchange rate is again a factor for foreign tourists. Again, the most important factor for occupancy is repeat customers. If there is an increase in the number of repeat customers of a hotel, it means that the hotel will be full,” he said.
Tourists spending in Bodrum has decreased
Kenan Arslan, an operator in Gümüşlük, stated that the season did not go as expected. Arslan, emphasizing that July is the most active period for businesses in Bodrum, said, “Things are not going well in Bodrum this season. We see this in the decrease in the revenues of our businesses. Again, in our discussions with business owners, we saw that the situation is critical. The spending limits of tourists coming to Bodrum have also decreased. Due to high inflation and expensive accommodation, people prefer to stay at home. There was interest during the Eid holiday, but we are experiencing the opposite situation afterward. We see a decline of up to 40% in this region. Our expectation is that interest will increase again by the end of the month. We experienced a similar process last year,” he said.