Hotel occupancy rates and room prices in Türkiye recovered in the second half of 2025 following a challenging start to the year, according to the Turkish Hoteliers Association (TÜROB) President Müberra Eresin.
Eresin noted that while both visitor numbers and per-night tourist spending continued to rise, hotels’ gross operating profits (GOP) remained under pressure due to surging costs and a stagnant foreign exchange rate.
“Unfortunately, despite growth in arrivals and spending, the flat trend in exchange rates and high operational costs have negatively affected hotel profitability,” she said.
“Weak first-half performance strained hotel finances”
Eresin said the recovery began in August and gained momentum through the autumn months.
“Occupancy and prices have shown noticeable improvement since mid-year. August, September, and October performed above expectations, and November looks promising,” she stated.
However, she warned that the poor results in the first half had already strained hotel balance sheets. “We must also consider the impact of earthquakes, wars, and global unrest, which created additional challenges,” she added.
European stagnation, renewed hope from China and the Far East
Eresin said Türkiye’s market share in Europe had slipped slightly but expressed optimism about renewed interest from China and the broader Far East.
“While Europe and parts of Asia are flat, we are seeing encouraging signs from China and the Far East. With increasing flight connections and targeted promotions by our Ministry and the TGA, we expect stronger growth from China in the near future,” she said.
High airfares deter direct travel to Türkiye
Eresin reiterated concerns about high airfare levels and the large share of transit passengers on flights to Türkiye.
“The high cost of air travel discourages direct visitors. Once we develop lasting solutions to this issue, we believe the European market can grow beyond expectations,” she said.
To boost city tourism in the winter season, Eresin emphasized the importance of “city break” weekend trips.
“The success of this model depends on low-cost airlines like EasyJet, Ryanair, and WizzAir launching direct flights to Türkiye. Under the leadership of our Minister, TÜROB is ready to support every step in this direction,” she added.
Easing visa procedures could boost arrivals
Eresin also pointed to visa difficulties as a key obstacle. Lengthy and costly application processes, she said, continue to deter potential travelers from several countries.
“With the new regulation allowing visa applications to be processed by the Foreign Affairs Foundation instead of intermediary companies, we expect the procedures to become faster and less expensive,” Eresin concluded.
