Veteran tourism executive Kadir Uğur, Chairman of the Board of Bentour, expects 2027 to bring a recovery and rebalancing for Turkish tourism, taking a more optimistic view than many industry representatives.
In his traditional November assessment, Uğur reviewed the past tourism season and shared his expectations for 2027. He said approximately 80% of the predictions he made in his November assessment last year had materialised.
However, he expressed concern that Türkiye was once again becoming increasingly dependent on last-minute bookings to fill its tourism capacity.
Below is Kadir Uğur's article, titled “Could 2027 Mark a New Beginning for Turkish Tourism?”
Türkiye is returning to last-minute bookings
Dear colleagues and tourism professionals,
I have been in this profession for 58 years. No matter how much we complain or how tired we become, we still love what we do. Otherwise, we would have chosen another profession many years ago.
For approximately 20 years, I have made it a tradition to publish an assessment every November. First, I look back and evaluate the season we have left behind. Then I look ahead and consider how the coming season might take shape.
The past is the most important guide to the future. It is impossible to plan properly for the future without learning from previous experiences.
We have once again completed a tourism year covering both the winter and summer seasons.
Approximately 80% of the predictions I made in my November article last year came true. However, what concerns me most is that we have returned to a practice we have been trying to leave behind for years.
Türkiye had made considerable progress in moving away from being a destination that relied on last-minute bookings to fill its tourism capacity. Unfortunately, we are now moving towards the same situation again.
There is little point in discussing the reasons and how this happened at length. Everyone continues to follow their own approach until the consequences become serious enough for all of us.
The fact that tour operators are competing through price wars rather than service and quality, while hoteliers are adopting the same approach, poses a significant risk to the future of our industry.
We should remember that customers won through low prices can easily be lost when they find a cheaper offer elsewhere. However, customers won through quality service, trust and satisfaction can remain loyal for many years.
Tourism is not simply about selling beds, filling aircraft seats or offering the lowest prices. Tourism is about trust and satisfaction.
Uğur takes a more optimistic view of 2027
Looking back at the November assessments I have written over the past three years, I see that I generally painted a rather pessimistic picture.
So, what will 2027 bring?
This time, I see a more positive outlook.
Of course, amid the current turmoil, I believe some hotels will close or change ownership, while some tour operators will cease operations or be sold. This process will not be easy. However, such restructuring periods, which occur from time to time in different industries, can also create the conditions for a healthier market structure if managed properly.
I believe the way forward for Turkish tourism could open up in 2027.
There are several important reasons for this:
1. The market will find its balance
European consumers are paying increasing attention to the relationship between the service they receive and the price they pay.
It is difficult to maintain customer loyalty in a market where trust has been damaged and expectations have not been met. For this reason, service quality and customer satisfaction will once again become decisive factors, particularly in European source markets.
2. Transportation costs could ease
If the expected decline in jet fuel prices materialises, air transportation costs could also ease.
This could contribute positively to the competitiveness of both tour operators and destinations.
3. Employees' income tax burden could be reduced
The government could consider measures to reduce employees' income tax burden, either instead of wage increases or as a complementary measure.
Such arrangements could increase employees' net take-home pay while helping to create a more balanced structure for employers' overall labour costs.
4. Business competitiveness could be reshaped
Bringing costs under control could enable tourism businesses to offer more competitive prices in international markets.
However, the most important point is to create a pricing advantage without compromising service quality.
5. The balance between foreign currency and the Turkish lira should become more predictable
Determining the value of the Turkish lira according to economic realities and market conditions, rather than through mechanisms that restrict its value, is important for tourism businesses seeking to make long-term plans.
A more predictable economic environment would also have a positive impact on investment decisions and pricing policies.
Of course, whether all these developments materialise will depend on economic and political conditions. I consider them positive expectations for 2027, not confirmed developments.
"We must compete by creating value, not by cutting prices"
Above all these expectations, there is a much more important question our industry needs to ask itself:
What kind of tourism destination do we really want Türkiye to be?
A country offering the cheapest holidays, or a reliable and preferred destination that delivers more than the value of the price customers pay?
I believe it is time to answer this question.
We must compete by creating value, not by cutting prices. Instead of trying to take customers away from one another, we should work to increase Türkiye's overall tourism value. We must not sacrifice our long-term reputation for short-term gains.
My 58 years in this profession have taught me one thing: no success in tourism is permanent. However, a structure built on the right strategy, quality service and trust can remain strong for many years.
I hope 2027 will be not only a new season for our industry but also the beginning of a new approach.
I wish everyone a healthy, prosperous, successful and profitable 2027 season.
With love and respect,
To all tourism professionals...
