Net Holding A.Ş. Board Member and General Coordinator Hande Tibuk has called on Turkish Airlines to adopt a different business and pricing model for Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), citing high airfares as one of the key challenges facing TRNC tourism.
Speaking at the “2026 Season Review, 2027 Expectations (Hotels)” panel held during the Istanbul Tourism Fair (ITF), Tibuk assessed the impact of the Iran war on TRNC tourism and shared her expectations for the 2027 season.
Iran war affected TRNC tourism
Tibuk said the Iran war also affected tourism in the TRNC. She noted that concerns emerged during the initial phase of the crisis that the TRNC could be bombed.
According to Tibuk, they sought to address these concerns by communicating directly with guests. She added that signs of recovery emerged during the second half of the season, with August and September performing particularly well.
Casino experience plays an important role in generating demand
Tibuk described the TRNC as a destination operating under isolation and noted that access to the destination is available only through Türkiye.
Despite these limitations, she said the destination carries out active promotional activities in international markets.
Tibuk also highlighted the role of the casino experience in generating demand for the TRNC. She said the destination receives guests from markets including Russia, Iran and Ukraine, while tournaments held in the TRNC also attract visitors from different parts of the world.
“Turkish Airlines needs to adopt a different business model”
Tibuk identified airline costs as one of the biggest challenges for TRNC tourism.
She said some travelers choose connecting flights via Doha because direct Turkish Airlines flights are expensive, while the Iran war disrupted this flow.
“Turskish Airlines needs to adopt a different business model and pricing policy in terms of tourism in Türkiye and the TRNC,” Tibuk said.
She added that the high cost of direct flights was pushing travelers toward alternative routing options.
Tibuk shares her expectations for 2027
Tibuk also shared a cautious assessment of economic conditions in 2027.
“I do not think economic conditions will be better in 2027,” she said, noting that crises have continued to follow one another.
She also said a chain of crises resulting from the collapse of funds could affect the economy. According to Tibuk, the increase in the exchange rate in Türkiye will continue to remain below inflation.
Tibuk also pointed to the political calendar, saying that it should not be forgotten that 2027 will be a pre-election year.
“Even Turkish customers are turning to the Greek Islands and Europe”
Tibuk said Türkiye remains a destination competing on price and quality. However, she noted that even consumers in the domestic market are looking toward the Greek Islands and Europe.
While arguing that Türkiye is not expensive in terms of accommodation, Tibuk said museum prices remain high compared with major cities around the world.
According to Tibuk, high museum prices make it more difficult to market holiday packages to Türkiye.
