Tourists admit they are “filled with fear” as the prices at a popular holiday destination are rising.
Last summer, several Brits reported falling victim to rising prices in Turkey, and the issue has been brought up again. Holidaymakers have been posting videos from areas such as Antalya, complaining about the price increases.
It seems to be an issue that isn’t going away, as one person took to TikTok to vent his frustration. The man, known as Tez, said: “I’ll never ever come to Antalya again in my life, and here’s the reason why guys.
“So we decided to go out yesterday afternoon – four of us for drinks into Antalya. We went into a bar, we ordered two Efes malt, two Istanblue vodka, one Sprite, one Fanta, got the bill – it was 2,000 lira. That is £40. Wow.
“Went to the second bar, ordered the same again, came to 1,560. Then, they decided to whack us with a service charge of 292 lira. So, again, that works out as around £40. Absolutely disgusting.”
In the video, Tez said he supports people making a living, but he just thinks the prices have spiralled out of control. He claimed he thinks people are being “stung” at the holiday hotspot.
The clip has gained a lot of attention, with many tourists admitting they’re now nervous about visiting Turkey. They shared their concern in the comments section.
One person said: “We are going to Antalya in two weeks and you are filling me with fear. We’re all-inclusive and not planning on doing any excursions because I’m going with my toddler.”
Another replied: “Off to Antalya on May 1. Absolutely dreading it now after all these videos I keep seeing.” A third added: “I went to Antalya last year. I wouldn’t go back again. So expensive. Cocktails are more expensive there than I pay in England.”
Meanwhile, others claimed some parts of the destination aren’t as expensive. There were a few savvy travellers who said when you book an all-inclusive package, deals can be more reasonable. Others also noted it was “the best” place to go on holiday, despite reported price hikes.
Why is Turkey becoming so expensive?
There are a few reasons why prices are said to have shot up in Turkey. Statista has offered one explanation.
The website reads: “Domestic producer price indices have been continuously rising, which has directly resulted in a price increase in all consumer goods and services. Accordingly, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in all commodity groups increased extremely since 2022.
“In the same year, the food and non-alcoholic beverages category had one of the highest inflation rates in the CPI. This particularly affected Turkish consumers, as these products accounted for the highest share of household expenditure in 2023.
“Since 2020, food prices have increased significantly around the world, and Turkey is no exception. Although inflation has started to slow down recently, food prices in Turkey continue to go up steadily, increasing by 48.6 percent in November 2024 compared to the same month in the previous year.
“It is not surprising that food inflation has not simmered down, as the producer price index (PPI) of agricultural products followed a constant increasing trend in the country over the past few years.”
However, it’s said Turkey is taking steps to help boost tourism, including addressing rising prices, making tourist offerings more diverse and investing in infrastructure. The Government is said to be working to reduce inflation, and some people are also promoting niche tourism areas like spas and health care.
