As the world becomes a global village, people are traveling more, seeing more, and as a result, their expectations are evolving. Naturally, this leads to increased awareness, and based on their financial capabilities, travelers develop various expectations for the tourism destinations they wish to visit.
During our TV2020 program “Tourism is Life,” my guest, Ms. Kıymet Güner, Director of Travel Time Tour, shared important insights on these topics.
She highlighted that tourism travel to Turkey for vacation purposes is declining, while European markets and tours are becoming more of a trend. While there is a significant decline in travel from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) to Turkey, except for Black Sea tours, there is a noticeable drop in interest for other regions, especially the Mediterranean and Aegean destinations.
As everyone plans their travels based on their budget, they consider the number of nights, total tour costs (including tickets), food and beverage prices at the destination, and their estimated spending while there. At this stage, travelers also determine whether they are looking for an average or upper-segment destination and spending experience.
Consumer behavior is psychologically triggered during this phase.
The “decision-making” stage, which is one of the most critical phases of tourism, becomes more prominent here. In short, total cost (daily spending), expectations, and satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) play a key role at this point. At this very stage, a variety of options are laid out in front of the potential tourist — Turkey, European, and Far East tours, as well as premium packages to destinations like Bali, Thailand, and Cuba.
Ms. Güner also emphasized a crucial point: “As long as high inflation continues in the Turkish economy and this directly affects life in the TRNC, it will also negatively impact the travel and holiday decisions of TRNC citizens.”
“Although we are an ‘outgoing’ travel company,” she said, “we’ve seen a significant decline in secure (sea, sun, sand) holidays from the TRNC to Turkey. Meanwhile, MICE tourism (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) is becoming increasingly important.”
When I pointed out that games of chance – i.e., the casino industry – are a major complementary model and an essential source of income and economic vitality for our region, she added: “Casinos indeed create a significant added value in the MICE sector.”
European Market and New Routes
As European tours experience a notable increase, cultural tours in countries like the Scandinavian nations, Italy, the French Riviera, Spain, and Portugal — along with nature-focused activities such as “flora and fauna” tours and birdwatching — are beginning to gain popularity and create new travel trends.
On the other hand, the classic Turkey tours have seen a decline in interest due to rising airline costs and the depreciation of the Turkish lira.
To revitalize tourism from Turkey to the TRNC under the concept of special interest tourism, cultural tours should be increased, and nature-based experiences (such as scuba diving and health tourism) should be developed into more sustainable and diverse models.
With government support, travel agencies and tour operators should work to reduce flight costs and provide a variety of accommodation options to help increase inbound tourism to the TRNC.
