Cancelled tours to Istanbul for the coming days make up up to 30% of the total volume of reservations due to the earthquake, the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR) reports.
“Sales of tours to Istanbul after the earthquake have fallen by a quarter for some large tour operators. Cancellations of tours for the nearest dates amount to 30%. However, there are no official warnings about the danger of traveling to Istanbul“, the statement says.
According to Orhan Sancar, coordinator at tour operator Pegas Touristik, the recent earthquakes have affected tourism in Istanbul. About 30% of short-term reservations have been either canceled or postponed - mainly for September and beyond. Sales of tours to Istanbul have fallen by approximately 25% compared to the same period last year.
The CEO of the large tourist reception company Istantour, Kadir Baydur, said that the company has not registered any cancellations of current tours, and the estimate for the decline in demand coincides - in the near future the city will lose 25-30% of tourists.
Russian Express also registered single cancellations of tours to Istanbul. Representatives of the tour operator note that all events and excursions are being held as usual for tourists in the city. “None of the surveyed tour operators have received panic calls or requests to immediately return home,” the company adds.