TURKEY: Onur Air Resumes Domestic Flights June 26, July 15th For International Flights

The low-cost Turkish airline Onur Air will resume domestic flights on June 26 and international flights on July 15, the company announced Tuesday.

Onur Air said in a statement that it will resume operations with new safety and health measures implemented following more than two months of suspension of flights as part of the restrictions to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Flights were suspended on March 28 amid worldwide coronavirus restrictions.

The airline will operate one daily round trip between Istanbul and the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya and the Black Sea city of Trabzon and a trip to the Aegean resort town of Bodrum four days a week, starting from July 26.

Onur Air CEO Teoman Tosun said the company’s priority is to ensure maximum security for the passengers and to offer the cheapest prices available.

Our aircraft are being disinfected in line with national and international health standards to prevent the spread of the virus, Tosun said.

The spread of the virus suspended touristic activity from March as Turkey was quick to close its borders and halt flights and other modes of transportation.

Turkey’s flag carrier Turkish Airlines, SunExpress its joint venture with Lufthansa and major budget airline Pegasus have already resumed domestic flights between major routes in the first week of June, after the lifting of travel restrictions due to the pandemic.

The airlines had been scheduled to resume limited international travel from mid-June and are waiting for permission to fly from national and international authorities.

The Low Cost Airlines Market report provides a detailed analysis of global market size, regional and country-level market size, segmentation market growth, market share, competitive Landscape, sales analysis, impact of domestic and global market players, value chain optimization, trade regulations, recent developments, opportunities analysis, strategic market growth analysis, product launches, area marketplace expanding, and new innovations.

Top Companies in the Global Low Cost Airlines Market are Fastjet, Mango, Fly540, Dana Air, JamboJet, Skywise, Onur Air, Bahrain Air, Airblue, Air Arabia, Flydubai, Air Asia X, FlySafair, Sama, Nas Air, Ease On Air, Jazeera Airways and Others.

Onur Air is a low-cost airline with its headquarters in the Technical Hangar B at Istanbul Ataturk Airport in Yeşilköy, Istanbul, Turkey.

It operates mostly domestic scheduled services, as well as a wide range of charter flights out of its base at Istanbul Airport. Its aircraft and crews also operate for its partly owned leisure subsidiary Holiday Europe.

Onur Air was established on 14 April 1992 and started revenue operations using a wet-leased Airbus A320 with a flight to Ercan in North Cyprus on 14 May of that year.

Onur means proud, self-esteem in Turkish. Over the next years, the Onurair fleet grew, so that by the end of 1995, it included nine aircraft.

Previously its head office was in Florya, Bakırköy, Istanbul.

In 1996, Ten Tour acquired ownership of the airline. By 1997 McDonnell Douglas MD-80 twin-jet airliners had been added to the fleet. Due to a recession, Onur Air had to reduce the size of its fleet to 13 in 1998, and then to 9 in 1999. Since then the airline has expanded again.

As of 6 April 2019 all of Onur Air's flights from their former base at Ataturk Airport have been relocated to the new Istanbul Airport.[

In August 2019, Onur Air established a new, partly-owned subsidiary named Holiday Europe for leisure flights between Europe and destinations around the Mediterranean. Onur Air provides aircraft and crews for the new brand.

On 17 June 2003, Onur Air Flight 2263, a McDonnell Douglas MD-88 registration TC-ONP overshot the runway at Groningen Airport Eelde following an aborted take-off. There were no injuries, but the airline was accused of security breaches.

On 12 May 2005, Onur Air was denied access to Dutch airspace for a month. Several incidents were the cause of the suspension of the airline. Negotiations took place between the Dutch authorities and Onur Air and on 24 May 2005 Onur Air had permission to fly from and to the Netherlands again.

On 1 January 2007, the cargo hold of a McDonnell Douglas MD-88 aircraft burst open upon landing at Ataturk International Airport, spilling luggage onto the runway.

On 7 September 2007, an Airbus A321 aircraft lost cabin pressure on a charter flight from Dalaman Airport to Birmingham Airport, resulting in an emergency landing at Atatürk International Airport. Passenger reports included a smoking engine and broken down oxygen masks.

On 20 August 2011, an Onur Air pilot forgot to contact Munich Air Traffic Control and caused the quick reaction air defence of both Germany and Austria to send four Eurofighter Typhoons to intercept the company's A321.

TURKEY: Marvelous Antalya Expecting 7 Million Tourists

Antalya, one of Turkey’s most popular tourist attractions in the Mediterranean region, has welcomed a total of 6.9 million foreign tourists between January and July 18, marking a strong 16 percent annual increase.

Some 86,000 tourists arrived in the city each day through Antalya and Gazipaşa airports, but on July 14 the city saw a record 96,191 arrivals.

The previous daily arrival records were broken again this year on June 22 with 86,308 and June 29 with 90,989.

We wake up to a new day with a fresh record. If this trend continues we will easily meet our target of hosting 16 million tourists set for this year, Ülkay Atmaca, the head of the Professional Hotel Managers’ Association (POYD), said.

What matters is not only breaking records but also creating a sustainable tourism industry, Atmaca noted. We need to receive 90,000 tourists every day throughout the year, he added.

The Russian and European markets are performing well so far and there have been increases in the number of tourists visiting the city, according to Atmaca.

He reiterated hoteliers demand that the government extends the upcoming Eid al-Adha holiday to nine days to give boosts to domestic tourism activity.

Foreign tourist arrivals have been in line with expectations so far, said Erkan Yagcı, the president of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers’ Association (AKTOB).

Yagcı stressed that Russian tourist visits have particularly been satisfying.

Last year we hosted 4.8 million Russian holidaymakers. We predict a 5 percent to 10 percent growth in the number of Russian tourists per year. We target to welcome more than 5 million Russian tourists, he said.

In remarks he made in June, Yagcı said that at least 250,000 Russian police officers and their families are expected to visit Turkey starting from August after Moscow removed a ban that had prevented members of the Russian security forces from traveling to some countries.

Full of archaeological sites, Antalya is a haven for those who love to delve into history. One of the best-preserved theaters in the world, with a seating capacity of 15,000 spectators, Aspendos is a site to marvel at! During summer, this theater comes to life with Opera performances.

Perge, an important trading port back in 1300 BC, is another great site to see ancient ruins. It was conquered by Alexander the Great and was used as a base for his future conquests. Phaselis, Termessos, Olympos, Myra – these are some of the interesting sites that will take you back in time!

If you are a hiking enthusiast then you must take the Lycian trail – a marked trail around the coast of Lycia in southern Turkey, from Fethiye to Antalya.

Unique and breath-taking, the Lycian Way is a darling of avid hikers and has been rated as one of the most beautiful long distance hikes in the world!

Stretching over 540 kilometers, this trail promises an abundance of wow moments. Passing through several ancients ruins, villages, mountains, and offering some stunning views of the Mediterranean – head for the Lycian Way, your trails will never be the same again!

In the old town of Kaleici, the historic centre of Antalya, it is easy to get lost in the maze, but at the end of the day you will be truly satisfied. Walk in the narrow, cobbled streets, admire the stone and timber houses built during the Ottoman-era; most of them converted into hotels.

As the day draws close, sit by the ancient harbour, while admiring the most enigmatic sunset. The harbour is home to boats and yachts and has plenty of restaurants and bistros offering the best of Mediterranean cuisines.

Enjoying a meal or two by the harbour front or by a beach, or on a mountain – the dining experience in Antalya is quite different.

From a five-star rated restaurant to a traditional, homely food joint, or a quaint cafe near a waterfall, there is no dearth of great places to enjoy a good meal in this city.

Antalya is one of the best places in Turkey to experience luxe living! Stunning beaches dotted with luxury resorts and hotels, life is a retreat here in this picturesque town.

Whether you fancy a sprawling resort near a beach, or a cozy hideout with an old world charm, Antalya has it covered for you!

Night owls can look forward to having a gala time in Antalya! As the sun goes down, this summer town dons a different look.

The town is filled with big, fancy discs, as well as small, cosy pubs and bars – catering to the needs of different types of travellers. Antalya’s nightlife is legendary!

The old town of Kaleici is the best place to shop for local goods and souvenirs from Antalya. Clothes, jewelry, antiques, and carpets – everything is available in the market.

Antalya’s biggest street bazaar, Lara Street market is yet another great place to shop and hone your bargaining skills; it opens every Saturday.


Tourism Observer

TURKEY: Tourists From Russia, Germany And Bulgaria Are Most Important To Turkey

A mid greater-than-expected mobility so far this year, tourism professionals expect Turkey to end 2019 with an over 10 percent rise in both the number of tourists and income.

The number of foreign arrivals in Turkey surged 11.3 percent year-on-year in the January-May period, Culture and Tourism Ministry announced late last month.

Nearly 12.8 million foreigners visited the country in the first five months, compared to 11.5 million in the same period in 2018.

The country's two most popular tourist spots Istanbul and Antalya have particularly come to the fore as they have so far enjoyed a buoyant season and have seen a significant surge in the number of foreign arrivals.

The country's most populous city, Istanbul, attracted a record number of tourists in the January-May period. The city welcomed 5.4 million foreigners, an 11 percent increase compared to the same period of last year, posting a five-year high.

Last year, Istanbul hosted 13.4 million foreign visitors from 199 countries.

Latest figures, on the other hand, showed that the number of tourists arriving in the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya so far this year surged by 16 percent year-on-year.

Around 6.91 million foreigners arrived at Antalya Airport and Gazipaşa Airport from January until June 18.

It hosted 12.4 million foreign visitors in 2018, according to the Culture and Tourism Ministry.

Dubbed Turkey's tourism capital and known for its luxury hotels, sea, ancient ruins and cultural structure, Antalya has recently seen an all-time high for daily passenger entry as well.

The city first broke the daily record on June 8 when 85,205 tourists arrived. The record was renewed later on, firstly on June 22 with 86,308 and then on June 29 with 90,989 tourists arriving in the city within one day.

Finally, the city posted an all-time on July 14 when 96,191 tourists arrived on a daily basis.

Turkey welcomed 39.5 million foreign visitors last year, a 21.84 percent increase year-on-year, according to the Culture and Tourism Ministry, while the country's tourism income surged 12.3 percent to $29.5 billion, according to Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat).

Turkish Hoteliers Federation (TÜROFED) Chairman Osman Ayık said the industry welcomed the latest figures, adding that tourism in the country was currently going through its liveliest period.

According to our projections, there will be a growth of over 10 percent in Turkey this year, the figures so far confirm this. We will break a historic record in 2019. We will see an overall figure of over 50 million across the country, Ayık said.

Ayık said there was an increase not only in the number of tourists but in the income per capita and in the number of overnight stays as well.

This year, we expect over 10 percent increase in tourism income, which hit nearly $30 billion last year, he added.

Emphasizing that in accordance with the structure of products, Turkey welcomes guests of all profiles.

In line with the structure of products, Turkey has stressed that welcomes guests of all profiles, Ayık said.

We can accommodate people from the top income group as well as guests with low income and limited budgets. Every region of Turkey could become a separate destination product.

Every region of our country has facilities able to accept guests, and products are gradually being revealed. There is a different trend in the world right now, people want to experience, taste and experience different things.

Turkey has this kind of diversity and richness. Therefore, the future is extremely bright from our perspective. We can make every point of Turkey a tourism region, destination, a point to visit, he added.

Ayik went ahead to say Turkey welcomes tourists from over 180 countries, noting that Russia and Germany were the two most important source markets, while serious mobility was experienced in the British market in recent years.

According to Culture and Tourism Ministry data, Russians made up 13.1 percent of foreign visitors or 1.8 million, followed by German citizens at 9.5 percent 1.2 million and Bulgarians at 7.7 percent more than 980,000 of the foreign tourists arriving in the country in the January-May period of this year.

Ayık also pointed out that Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and other countries in Balkans have started becoming important markets for the country.

He added that the Scandinavian market has also started to become lively and a return to Turkey was being experienced. He said there would be no need to worry much about the future in case this market is weighed on as well.

We can realize our 2023 goals very easily. There is a period of three to four years ahead, if we can continue our path with double-digit growth, it could be possible to reach the 70 million target even before 2023, he added.

TÜROFED head also pointed out that markets, such as India, China, South Korea and Japan, known as far markets, are also important for the country's tourism. Ayık said South Korea has become a vibrant market in recent years, also noting the significant mobility in China as well.

It is expected that over 30 million Chinese will travel to Europe in the 5-year medium-term period. We are on this route. We need to get the maximum share from here.

We can increase the number of Chinese tourists to one million in a very short period in case difficulties such as visa between Turkey and China are overcome. India also has such potential.

Looking at South Korea and Japan, we have very positive relations. We have serious golf potential in Japan and Korea, said Ayık.

On the other hand, praising the latest developments in terms of the holiday resort Antalya, Professional Hoteliers' Association (POYD) Chairman Ulkay Atmaca said if the raise in figures continues the city would exceed the target of 16 million foreign tourists at the end of this year.

Besides the positive situation in Russian and European market, Atmaca stressed there was a growth in most of the other markets as well.

Indicating that in the case July, August and September figures come in parallel to the expectations, Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers and Operators Association (AKTOB) Chairman Erkan Yagcı said the industry would post a major growth at the end of this year.

Lauding the developments regarding the Russian market, Yagcı said: "Last year, we hosted 4.8 million Russians in Antalya. We foresee that there will be a growth between 5 percent and 10 percent in the Russian market this year."


Tourism Observer

AUSTRIA: 8 Transavia Passengers Suddenly Fall Sick Inflight

A Transavia Boeing 737-800 with 185 people on board was enroute at FL370 about 50nm northeast of Vienna (Austria) in Slovak Airspace when the crew decided to divert to Vienna reporting a number of passengers had become sick.

The aircraft landed on Vienna’s runway 16 about 20 minutes later.

Several ambulances were awaiting the aircraft already.

Two passengers were taken to a hospital.

The airline reported eight passengers, seated throughout the cabin, felt unwell in flight and requested medical attention.

Two passengers were taken to hospitals, the other six were treated at the airport.

The cause of the passengers’ illness is currently unknown and is being investigated.

A replacement Boeing 737-800 registration PH-HSI positioned from Amsterdam to Vienna, resumed the flight and reached Antalya with a delay of 5.5 hours.


Tourism Observer

Common Scams To Be Carefull About When In Turkey

One of the hottest destinations in the world, Turkey is where the world meets. Since the ancient times, we have the Trojans, the Mongols, Romans, Greeks, Ottomans and many others who have traversed these plains. Today, it sits right at the cross section between Asia and Europe and the resulting cultural experience is fascinatingly unique.

However, despite being known as a friendly bunch, there is still a very intense bunch of crooks out to fleece you of your money. Getting recourse is difficult as well, as the police does not have a good command of English and from most anecdotes, are not readily willing to help. So what better way to protect yourself than to learn the most common scams in Turkey?

Be wary of hearing such a phrase. Though commonly used, you never know if it’s a friend or foe. The scam is wickedly simple. A stranger (could be a well dress man fluent in English, or a pair of random dudes, etc) comes up to you (usually against single travellers) and ask if you would have a lighter/know the way/help take a photo or what have you to establish innocence and to build rapport. Eventually, he will ask if you would like to grab a drink with him.

Should you take up the stranger’s offer, you will be brought to a highly recommended restaurant or bar. You will girls joining you, and you will be coerced into buying drinks. These few drinks will easily rack up a thousand dollar bill. If you have not passed out, be prepared to be escorted to the nearby ATM machine by a group of hooligans to make payment.

Another possibility is a spiked drink, this could happen anywhere, such as when a stranger such as a cab driver offers you a drink.

But I can hear ya, what if I really want to make friends with the locals? Well there are a few steps you can take:

- Does the restaurant/bar seem legit? i.e. are there customers?
- Is the stranger reading from a script? Evasive about things?
- Is he/she only bringing you to a particular restaurant or bar?
- Pretend that you have company by suggesting to go another place where you have a few friends at
- Only drink what your waiter or you have poured
- Take a photograph together
- Still, beware, this is such a common scam that in 2008, when police raided 6 nightclubs, they arrested over 100 people accused of this scam. These scammers include bar owners, bar girls, employees and sometimes even the police! Weapons and drugs were seized as well.

Be especially wary of “helpful” souls wandering around in Sultanahment and the Grand Bazaar who offer to guide you around the shops.

To protect yourself, learn how to separate the wheat from the chaff, or only visit licensed, experienced dealers with a good reputation. There are many “quality” fake goods out there, so if you don’t how to differentiate them, play it safe and not buy. Carpets especially are a hot seller, so please learn how to differentiate rugs of real quality versus Chinese fakes made of synthetic materials.

Another common fake would be coins and artefacts claimed to be from the Byzantine or Roman eras sold at historical sites such as in the town of Selcuk.

Some shady shops found online: Benny’s Shop/Benny’s Leather in the Kusadasi Bazaar,

Some stall owners/service providers are highly opportunistic. Should you not enquire about the price first before purchasing (it can be anything, such as a souvenir, a taxi ride or even a shoe shine service), be prepared to be hit with an astronomical bill after.

Even worse, there are restaurants who might charge you for items that you did not order. Always check your receipt before you leave.

Also, always negotiate the price before and check your bill after. Besides that, always negotiate in Lira, the local currency (and keep local petty cash with you) as a foreign currency will often be charged a higher price.

Just like the over-priced scam, always make sure of the currency that you are quoted! There’s a huge difference between Euro and Lira, so besides checking verbally with the stall owner, check your credit card bill as well should you use it.

One common trick these scammers use is to drop their shoe shine equipment beside you. Should you help, they will offer to provide shoe shine services to you for free.

Should you accept, two things will happen. First, the scammer will strike up a conversation during the service, and casually mention add on services he is providing you. Alternatively, he may began telling you about his sad life story, making you feel bad for him.

At the end of it all, you will be charged with a hefty bill. Argue, and you will suddenly find many shoe shiners surround you.

As the name suggests, some stall owners/service providers/taxi drivers will suddenly “forget” to pass you your change. This is done by distracting you and engaging you in a conversation.

A reverse of this situation is for the stall owners/service providers/taxi drivers to pretend to have received less than what you have paid. They do this by quickly hiding the cash that you have paid them and claim to have received less.

And the next thing that happens, is that your credit card is charged twice.

Not a scam technically, but if you were to take a free sunbed at resorts (especially those in Bodrum), be prepared to face a barrage of touts asking you to buy overpriced food, drinks and items.

There are the common ones such as those who rig their meters, insist on not using their meters or insist that they have no change. Some may even swap your notes, e.g. you pass them a 50 Lira note, and it becomes a 5 Lira note suddenly (sleight of hand) and the driver shouts at you to pay more. In the past, some switched the meter to a nighttime charge (2x more) in the day, but this charge no longer exists! So do not be scammed if the driver tells you of this charge when you take a cab at night!

The sly ones will meddle with the meters while you are not looking. Others may even grab your luggage, lock it in the boot, and drive you to a bar and get you into the whole bar scam.

One tip is to avoid taking taxis at tourist spots, such as at the Sultanahmet area (Blue Mosque, Hagia Sofia, Topkapi Palace and the Grand Bazaar). Or simply use the metro system – it is convenient and good. If you really insist on taking a cab, pay using small, local currency and take a photo of the car number first. Also, before paying, hold a note and ask the driver what the value of the note is so that you can both agree on it and prevent the swapping trick.

Happens on the road, where a driver will signal certain parts of your car (wheels are the easiest) that is damaged. This helpful driver will claim to be mechanic, and help you replace the spare part by heading to a workshop nearby.

Apparently, there is nothing wrong with your car. What happens is that either the original part is taken away, repainted and returned, or it will be swopped with a part that is of lousier quality. Further, the mechanic will demand a huge fee for his service.

Surprise surprise, some scammers might come up to you, strike a conversation and be a companion on the trip since you both are conveniently on the same way. Next, they might offer your food or drinks laced with a fast acting sedative (it is colorless, odourless, tasteless) and rob you of your belongings once you pass out.

The boat trips they sell are way overpriced. Look instead, for reputable ones online or simply head to the Galata Bridge for a local ferry.

Not exactly a scam technically, but because of the Turkish law where you cannot make a claim while drunk, you will become a prime target of robbers when you drink in public.

This is practically present around the world, be especially careful around crowded spots such as tourist spots – Sultanhamet Square, Taksim Square, Cumhurriyet Caddesi, Istiklal Caddesi, etc – or on crowded transportation.

Some of the methods which they use include slashing your bag, snatching your bag, distracting you and even by conning you (e.g. asking if you could show a dollar in your country’s currency so that he will know where you keep your money).

There are many other methods pickpockets can use – learn more on these techniques by checking out the list of scams in Spain, home to the pickpocketing capital of world (Barcelona).

Istanbul Tourism Police Hotline

Contact: +90 212 527 45 03

Address: Emniyet Müdürlüğü Turizm Şube Müdürlüğü Yerebatan Cad. No: 6 Sultanahmet, Istanbul

Department of Customer Rights Office

Address: 133 Istiklal Ave

IRAN: Stop Travelling To Sinful Places Like Antalya Turkey, Ayatollah Khamenei

Iran's Supreme Leader has spoken out against Iranians travelling to destinations such as Antalya in Turkey and called for a ban on the advertisement of such trips. Ayatollah Khamenei has described Antalya, Turkey as a place of "vice and debauchery" and branded travelling to this city as "sinful".


The Javan News Agency, which is linked to the Revolutionary Guards, goes on to add that the leader of the Islamic Republic has expressed his hopes that trips to "religiously forbidden (haram) locations" are no longer promoted in the country.

The report goes on to speak out against the government's inaction against the four million travellers who visit such destinations in Turkey and Thailand each year from Iran and suggests that the least it could do is to disallow trips to such destinations directly from Iran.

According to an earlier report by Iranian tourism expert Babak Nematpour, 80,000 Iranians travelled to Antalya in March of last year but the number dropped to 40,000 this year due to the recent turmoil in Turkey.

Antalya remains one of the chief tourist attractions for Iranians travelling abroad.

TURKEY: Celebrated Medical Tourism Destination

Turkey is fast becoming the top medical tourism destination in the world for a nip, tuck, laser eye surgery or hair transplant.

According to the Turkey Medical Tourism Outlook for 2017, the country is the preferred destination for hair transplant procedures for Arab nations.

Over the past few years rising costs in healthcare have caused an increase in the medical tourism industry, with patients flocking to parts of Turkey for cosmetic surgery.

According to the Turkey Medical Tourism Outlook for 2017, the country is the preferred destination for hair transplant procedures for Arab nations. The report also highlighted other emerging segments of Turkey’s medical tourism including dentistry, cosmetic surgery, infertility treatment and eye treatment.

“Patients are travelling to Turkey from all over the world, including the Gulf, seeking cosmetic surgery with a quick recovery,” said Mustafa Ozdemir, cultural and information attache from the Cultural and Information Office of the Turkish Consulate-General in Dubai.

“In fact, there are even companies that organise trips to Istanbul or south-western Turkey for procedures and treatments. Patients are looking for geographic proximity and the reputation of the country, when choosing Turkey, which is why medical tourism is increasing in the country and we anticipate significant growth in the near future.”

With Turkey treating nearly a quarter of a million foreign patients each year, the country boasts certified doctors in all fields and more Joint Commission International-accredited hospitals than anywhere outside the United States. According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Turkey ranks ninth in the world for its number of plastic surgeons with 700 registered as practising in the country.

“People want to make the trip part of a tourism experience, so after their procedures they choose to stay in some of the most scenic cities in Turkey to make quick recoveries,” Ozdemir said. “These include Fethiye, Istanbul, Antalya, Marmaris, Bodrum and Kusadasi.”

TURKEY: Bomb Kills 11 Near Istanbul Tourist Spots

After the explosion, Turkish special police officers carrying guns and wearing masks were sent to secure the area

A bomb has ripped through a bus carrying riot police near Istanbul's top tourist spots killing 11 people.

The blast happened during rush hour in the Turkish city killing seven officers and four civilians and comes after a string of attacks in the country.

The bomb targeted a service shuttle bus carrying officers from Istanbul's anti-riot police as it was passing through the central Beyazit district.

Emergency services work to free people from the mangled wreckage after a bus carrying riot police was bombed in Istanbul.

The blast happened during rush hour in the Turkish city killing seven officers and four civilians and comes after a string of attacks in the country

A van was also destroyed in the blast, which happened close to the main tourist sites in the Turkish city

The city's governor Vasip Sahin also said in a live statement on Turkish TV that 36 people were wounded, three of them seriously.

Turkish police say they have detained four suspects over the car bombing and that they have been taken to police headquarters in Istanbul for interrogation.

Reports said the explosion took place close to the Vezneciler metro station, which is within walking distance of some of the city's main tourist sites including the famed Suleymaniye Mosque.

Pictures showed the bomb had turned the police vehicle into mangled wreckage and that nearby shops had their front windows smashed out by the force of the blast with cars parked in the vicinity also damaged.

Police carrying guns patrolled the area after the blast amid fears people had heard shots also being fired.

The blast took place opposite an upscale hotel favoured by foreign tourists, the Celal Aga Konagi Hotel.

Television pictures showed bomb disposal experts examining the scene in case of a second unexploded bomb and reports said at least one controlled explosion was carried out.

Scheduled examinations at Istanbul University - which lies close to the scene of the blast - have been cancelled.

Reports said that shots were heard and pictures showed police in bullet proof vests brandishing their weapons.

The blast took place opposite an upscale hotel favoured by foreign tourists, the Celal Aga Konagi Hotel, a converted Ottoman mansion.

After the explosion, Turkish special police officers carrying guns and wearing masks were sent to secure the area.

At least 36 people were also injured in the explosion.

Since the start of the year, Turkey has been hit by a sequence of attacks that have rattled citizens and also caused tourism to plummet

However, there has been no indication of who had carried out the attack.

Since the start of the year, Turkey has been hit by a sequence of attacks that have rattled citizens and also caused tourism to plummet.

Two separate blasts in Ankara claimed by the Kurdistan Freedom Falcons (TAK) - a radical splinter group of the better-known outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) - earlier this year claimed dozens of lives.

Last month, at least eight people including soldiers were wounded by a remotely detonated car bomb aimed at a military vehicle in Istanbul that was claimed by the PKK.

Business owners were forced to clear up glass after the windows of shops close by shattered in the bomb blast

Meanwhile, a dozen German tourists were killed on January 12 in a bombing in the heart of Istanbul's tourist district blamed on ISIS jihadists.

At least three Israelis and an Iranian were killed in a March 19 bombing on Istanbul's main Istiklal shopping street which was also blamed on the terror group.

The attacks have also come as Turkey is battling PKK militants, who have themselves killed hundreds of members of the security forces in the southeast.

The government has warned there will be no let up in the fight until the PKK is defeated and the militants have in turn threatened more attacks.

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited some of the people who were wounded in the blast yesterday

The attacks in Turkey's heartland have had a dire effect on the tourism industry.

But the attacks in Turkey's heartland have had a dire effect on the tourism industry and further violence in Istanbul comes at the worst possible time heading into the key summer season.

Some 1.75 million foreigners came to Turkey in April, down more than 28 per cent on April 2015, the tourism ministry said in its latest release.

The fall was the steepest monthly decrease for 17 years and raised fresh concerns about the health of the industry heading into the crucial summer season.

The US embassy in Turkey in April warned of 'credible threats' to tourist areas in Istanbul and the resort city of Antalya, in particular to public squares and docks.

Turkey, a member of NATO and the US-led anti-jihadist coalition, appears to have stepped up its operations against ISIS in northern Syria, where the extremists control areas near the border, which some analysts say has made it more vulnerable to attack.

TURKEY: Turkey Fighting To Welcome Back Israeli Tourists

After the Mavi Marmara incident drastically reduced the number of Israeli tourists visiting Turkey, Turkish hoteliers and tourism companies are now looking to push the figures back up, with their first stand at an international tourism fair in three years.

Turkish hoteliers are set to arrive in Israel next week to participate in the IMTM international tourism fair, which is being held in the Tel Aviv Convention Center.

"Tourism to Turkey is in a tough spot due to the collapse of the Russian market, which formed the bulk of visits to the country," one of the hoteliers said. "There has also been a decrease in arrivals from other markets.

"The situation here is definitely not good and we would want the Israeli tourists who were really important visitors a few years back to return," he added.

Diyar İçkale, the owner of the Spice Hotel in Antalya, will also be in attendance at the convention, and is hoping for a boost in the number of Israelis taking trips to Turkey.

"The relations between the two sets of peoples are good and there is an improvement in relations between the countries," İçkale said.

"Personally I like Israelis. In Antalya the situation is really quiet and there is no reason to worry at all. You are an hour away from us and we want you here," she added.

In addition to İçkale and other hoteliers, a delegation from the Rixos chain of resorts will be coming in order to try and advance Israeli tourism to Turkey, particularly in Antalya. The delegation will be located at the Ksharei Teufa booth at the fair.

Until a few years ago the Turkish booth at the tourism fair in Tel Aviv was the largest out of all the foreign delegations. But following the Mavi Marmara incident, the stand began to shrink and for the last three years there has been no Turkish booth at the fair.

In 2015 about 224,000 Israeli tourists arrived in Turkey, a growth of 19 percent compared to 2014 and 36.5 percent compared to 2013. However, the figures still pale into comparison next to the pre-Mavi Marmara numbers, when Turkey welcomed over half a million Israeli tourists a year.

Turkish Tourism Revenue Expected To Slide Downwords

Tourism representatives have said 2016 has been “much worse” than the predicted “worst case scenario,” noting the revenue loss in the sector would likely surge to $12 billion over the year.

The current problems, which have risen amid escalating security concerns and a significant decrease in the number of Russian tourists, will likely impact other sectors, including the agriculture sector, and push up the unemployment rate across the country, according to sector representatives.

The head of the Antalya Chamber of Trade and Industry (ATSO), Davut Çetin, said the number of Russian tourists has almost zeroed over this year and they expected a significant drop in the number of arrivals from Europe, mainly from Germany, after a series of terror attacks which recently hit Turkey.

He noted the organization submitted various scenarios to the government after the Russian crisis erupted, but only optimistic scenarios were shared with the public.

“We are at a point which is much worse than what we had earlier predicted in our worst case scenario,” he noted at a meeting late March 18.

The vice president of the organization and the head of the Mediterranean Touristic Hoteliers’ Association (AKTOB), Yusuf Hacısüleyman, said they predicted a loss of $8 billion in revenue in their previous scenario upon the predicted loss of around 4 million tourists following the jet crisis with Russia, by presuming the spending per capita at $1,000 plus the multiplier effect at 1.87.

“With the addition of the expected losses from the European market, we have now revised our potential revenue losses to $12 billion,” he said one day before another terror attack in Istanbul, which killed at least four foreign nationals in central Istanbul on March 19.

Hacısüleyman said the rising number of security warnings for Turkey by Western countries has spurred further losses in the sector, noting that the German Travel Association (DRV) canceled a four-day meeting scheduled in April in the Aegean resort of Kuşadası.

“When travel agencies canceled their meetings over security concerns, we cannot wait for arrivals from Germany to Turkey,” he added.

He noted that the number of European tourists may decline by almost half over this year, adding that the number of Iranian tourists is expected to decrease to 30,000 over this year from around 45,000 last year.

Spain will lure much more tourists than it did earlier this year, and may reach around 80 million tourists, according to sector representatives. Another popular destination will be Greece, they added.

Çetin noted many hoteliers would not open their hotels this year, and around 80,000-100,000 job losses are expected in Antalya alone.

He said the problems in the tourism sector have already started to spillover to other sectors, mainly the agricultural sector, and the losses will become more visible by May and the following months.

Çetin also noted the EXPO Fair will open on April 22 with the attendance by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

A number of world-famous stars are expected to attend the event, which will last six months and provide an increase in the number of tourists, bringing about some relief to the sector, he noted.

Over 44 countries have so far affirmed their participation in the event, according to sector representatives.

TURKEY: Russia Has Lifted Ban On Flights To Turkey

Russia has opened up flights to Turkey’s southern resort of Antalya following a ban imposed in the wake of the shooting down of a Russian warplane in November, Russian media reported on March 24.

The Russian civil aviation authority, Rosaviation, has given the go-ahead for Ural Airlines to fly to Antalya, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency said.

Ural Airlines will fly seven times a week from Rostov-on-Don, Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan to Antalya - favorite Turkish destination for Russians.

The Kremlin banned the sale of tour packages and charter flights to Turkey after a Russian jet was downed by a Turkish F-16 over the Turkey-Syria border for repeatedly violating Turkish airspace on Nov. 24.

TURKEY: Turkey-Russia Flights Drop Almost 50 Percent After Jet Crisis

Scheduled flights between Russia and Turkey by the two countries’ flag carriers have dropped almost 50 percent along with the number of passengers after the downing of Russian jet by Turkey on Nov. 24, 2015, a tourism official has said.

SKY Tourism Company official Faruk Yılmaz said Turkish Airlines’ daily flights to Moscow dropped from four to three flights a week, while Russian carrier Aeroflot Airlines decreased its daily flights from four to two.

“There has been a great decrease in occupancy rates in flights after the Nov. 24 2015 downing of a Russian jet, almost 50 percent in the number of passengers and flights,” Yılmaz noted.

He also said Aeroflot dropped its number of daily Moscow-Antalya flights to one.

In addition, Yılmaz said Turkish Airlines aimed to boost its flights during the summer season, increasing the number of Moscow-Istanbul flights from 21 to 28 and organizing two flights between Antalya and Moscow.

Turkish Airlines holds 21 flights a week to Moscow from Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport while Aeroflot organizes 14.

Low cost carrier Pegasus Airlines also organizes seven flights a week from Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport.

Apart from Moscow, Turkish Airlines flies to many Russian destinations including Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Rostov, St. Petersburg, Ufa, Krasnodar, Novosibirsk and Astrakhan.

Pegasus also flies to Krasnodar and Yekaterinburg.

TURKEY: Turkey Wants Russian Tourists Back

Turkish PM Ahmed Davutoglu said the government expects Russian tourists to come despite tensions between Ankara and Moscow, as shrinkage in the sector was “unexpected.” Russia earlier urged tourists not to visit Turkey, citing security concerns.

Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Davutoglu announced an action plan to provide support for the tourism industry, including an $87-million government grant and setting up a facility to allow travel firms to restructure their debts.

"We believe Russian tourists will start coming back to Turkey," he was quoted as saying by the Daily Sabah, an English-language newspaper published in Turkey. Davutoglu added the current political tensions between Ankara and Moscow should not impact Russian “guests” who visit the country.

The government did not expect any shrinkage in tourism stemming from this issue, he added.

Russia imposed economic sanctions on Turkey after an Su-24 bomber was shot down by Turkish F-16s over Syria. In November 2015, the Russian government banned all charter flights to Turkey.

Russia’s travel industry watchdog Rosturism recommended all national agencies to stop selling tours to Turkey, citing security concerns. Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) militants were planning to take Russian tourists hostage and use them as human shields, the agency said.

In January 2016, Russia introduced a visa regime for Turkish nationals, while Turkey’s top resorts were left practically empty due to a dramatic decline in the number of Russian tourists.

Turkey has been the Russian people’s number 1 foreign tourist destination for many years. Its southern beach towns of Antalya and Alanya, favored by Russians, provided an all-inclusive service at affordable prices.

Tourism funds more than half of Turkey's current account deficit, which is seen as one of the country's biggest economic weaknesses.

TUI, the world's largest tour operator, this month reported a 40-percent fall in summer holiday bookings to Turkey, with customers deterred by security concerns, according to the Financial Times.

Turkey’s tourism industry also expects to see losses in other markets this year, after an IS suicide bomb attack in Istanbul’s top tourist spot, Sultanahmet, which killed 11 German tourists on January 12. This has resulted in decreasing numbers of Germans visiting Antalya.

TURKEY: Istanbul Is No 9 In World’s Top Destinations

Istanbul took ninth place, and Antalya was ranked 11th in Euromonitor’s “Top 100 City Destinations” list, a report which monitors the number of international tourist arrivals has said.

Artvin, a Black Sea destination in Turkey’s northeast, was placed at number 100 in the list, which was released Jan. 29.

Wouter Geerts, a travel analyst at Euromonitor in London, noted that top cities like Istanbul and Antalya saw increased tourism in 2014 despite geopolitical tensions. He attributed the positive performance to continuing economic growth at key destinations.

“Arrivals continued to grow in global urban centers in 2014, illustrating the economic importance of tourism to the world’s cities,” Geerts said.

Hong Kong remained number one in the ranking, as it has been for the past five years, according to the report.

London came next, while Singapore was third.

Istanbul moved up two places to enter the top 10 at number nine, registering a 13.2 percent increase in the number of visitors to 11.8 million in 2014. The report noted that an increasing numbers of visitors are coming to Istanbul from the Gulf and other Arab states.

Antalya attracted 11.1 million tourists to its luxury resorts and famous beaches.

Artvin pulled in 1.8 million tourists in 2014, just behind Taichung in Taiwan.

TURKEY: Football Tourism Struggles With 52M Euro Loss

The Turkish football tourism sector has lost 52 million euros as 23 foreign football teams, mainly ones from Russia, cancelled 900 camps that they would have run in Antalya between January and April. The cancellations came after the Turkey-Russia crisis, which broke out when Turkey downed a Russian fighter jet that violated its airspace.

As a country that annually generates 100 million euros from football tourism, the Turkish tourism sector is facing a major loss. Ferit Turgut, the chairman of the Sports Tourism Association, said that the main crisis will be experienced during the summer, adding that the minimum loss will be around 2 million euros in the best case scenario this summer due to the fighter jet crisis.

Football clubs from 76 countries set up a total of 2,500 camps in Antalya every year. Although business slows down during the winter, the tourism sector generates 100 million euros from football clubs' camps between January and April. Turkey has been deprived of 52 percent of its average football tourism income this year as the number of foreign football teams camping in Turkey dropped by 35 percent. Many football teams from Germany to Japan, which drifted with Russia's tide, cancelled their camps in Antalya.

Turgut said that even a revenue loss of 2 billion euros is an optimistic estimate in this depressing situation and pointed to the difficulties that the football tourism sector might face during the summer.

Football tourism was expecting to be revived to some extent while the Super League took a winter break. This expectation will not become a reality, as it is expected that only 10 or 12 teams of the Super League, which consists of a total of 18 teams, will hold camps in Antalya during the winter break.

According to Turgut, the Turkish cup football matches that will be played on Jan. 9-10 and Jan. 12-14 during the winter break will have a negative impact on football tourism. Normally, the sector generates 2 billion euros from the 10-day camps that the Super League clubs set during the winter break. However, this figure will remain at around 500,000 euros, as clubs will stay in the camps for just three or four days because of the Turkish Cup matches.

Turgut underlined that Turkish football tourism alone cannot reverse the damage done to Antalya's economy.

He also said that in addition to revenue losses, the sector will experience losses because of low prices in 2016, adding that prices will drop by more than 20 percent and that it will be hard to find hotels which have an occupancy rate of 100 percent.

TURKEY: Airlines To Receive Fuel Subsidies

Turkey will offer jet fuel subsidies for flights to five of its tourist hot spots as part of its efforts to safeguard tourism revenue.

Airlines will receive $6,000 per flight to Antalya, Alanya, Dalaman, Bodrum and İzmir during the start of the tourism season in April and May, Turkey's tourism minister, Mahir Ünal, said.

Following the suicide bombing in Istanbul, which killed 10 German citizens, the country's tourism might be affected negatively, according to experts, for which the government is trying to take precautionary measures. The tourism industry in the country accounts for about 4.5 percent of the $800 billion economy.

"The only problem is with the Syrian border area," Ünal said. "Istanbul is one of the safest places in the world... The tourist areas are safe... We have taken all the measures necessary," Ünal said.

Turkey offered similar fuel subsidies for flights from Russia last year, after a slump in the value of the rouble prompted consumers to hold off spending money on travel abroad.

Russians accounted for about 10 percent of foreigners arriving in Turkey in January through November last year, making Russia the country's second-biggest source country after Germany with 5.4 million travelers or 15.5 percent of arrivals.

In addition to the new fuel subsidy unveiled on Wednesday, which could be extended beyond May, Turkey has tripled its security measures in tourist areas, according to Ünal.

He was speaking in Frankfurt, where he was meeting with German tour operators to discuss joint measures to prop up tourist demand, such as promotional campaigns that would be half paid for by Turkey and half by the tourism companies.

He said he was also meeting with tour operators in Spain and Switzerland.

TURKEY: 1,318 Hotels & Resorts For Sale, Affected By Russian Sanctions And Terrorists

As many as 1,318 hotels have been put up for sale along the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts after Russian sanctions along with security concerns hit Turkey's tourism industry hard.

The Mediterranean resort of Antalya has the highest number of tourism facilities, 410 that are listed for sale, followed by the provinces of Muğla, which has 349 for sale; İzmir, 203; Aydın, 162; Balıkesir, 139; Çanakkale, 35 and Denizli, which has 20 in total listed.

The total sale price of the 410 hotels in Antalya amounts to TL 30 billion, while the remaining 908 have sale prices of a total of TL 8.8 billion.
Denizli Colossae Thermal Chairman Abdurrahman Karamanlıoğlu said a number of hotels in resort towns were left on the brink of bankruptcy after Russia imposed sanctions against Turkey after the latter downed a Russian warplane in November last year.

“We talk the realities but officials put a brave face on the issue. We have been heavily affected from the jet crisis. Especially the hotels in Antalya; being closed for the last four months, most of those are on the verge of bankruptcy,” Karamanlıoğlu said.

Nearly two months after Russia advised its citizens to cancel their visits to Turkey, an Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militant blew up himself and 10 tourists; most of whom were German, in central İstanbul earlier this month, adding more turmoil to an already stagnant industry.
Russians and Germans represented the two largest groups of nationalities that visited Turkey in 2014. Turkey's tourism revenues fell 8.3 percent to $31.46 billion in 2015.

A large number of hotels in resort towns were left on the brink of bankruptcy after Russia imposed sanctions against Turkey, according the managing director of the Denizli Colossae Thermal Hotel, Abdurrahman Karamanlıoglu.

Moscow imposed sanctions after a Russian warplane was shot down by a Turkish fighter jet during combat operations in northern Syria. Sanctions included reintroducing a visa regime, and a travel warning against Russian tourists visiting the country. Travel agencies in Russia stopped selling tour packages to Turkey on the request by the Kremlin.

The measure added more turmoil to an already stagnant industry. Turkey's tourism revenue fell 8.3 percent to $31.46 billion in 2015, according to the Turkish online daily Today’s Zaman. The tourism industry accounts for 11 percent of Turkey's GDP.

The Turkish tourism ministry expects to lose 4.5 million tourists from Russia this year. As a result, the country could lose about $7 billion, according to analysts.

Europe’s Most Competitive Airport Pairs and city pairs in S15 revealed

Pobeda became the latest carrier on the highly competitive city pair between Moscow and Sochi when it commenced services between Moscow Vnukovo and Sochi/Adler on 6 February. Aeroflot’s in-house LCC now serves the route with six daily flights. This summer, the link between Moscow and Sochi is the most highly competed route in Europe with a total of 10 carriers operating services between the two cities.

We look at several aspects such as aircraft type operated, weekly frequency, sector length and which other carriers may already be operating on the route. Typically around half of all new airlines services are on airport pairs that are not served by anyone else. (Coincidentally, out of 25 new services launched this week, 12 are already served by other carriers.) However, that means that around half of all new services are airlines entering a market already served by at least one other carrier. These existing carriers are not likely to take kindly to having their position challenged.

This got us wondering as to which were the most competitive routes within Europe, during the peak summer season, on both an airport pair and city pair basis. At this point the anna.aero data elves let out a big sigh and got to work to see what they could uncover. For summer we used the first week of August in 2015. When attaching airports to cities we used the IATA recommended allocations for the following 16 cities: Belfast, Berlin, Brussels, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Istanbul, London, Milan, Moscow, Oslo, Paris, Rome, Stockholm, Tenerife, Venice and Warsaw.

German airports to Antalya dominate summer airport pairs ranking
For this summer the following table reveals the airport pairs served by the highest number of airlines. Routes to Antalya from German airports appear five times among the top eight, with Cologne Bonn and Düsseldorf to Antalya both offering flights on eight different airlines. Two more ‘summer sun’ routes also appear in the rankings; Düsseldorf to Heraklion and Manchester to Palma de Mallorca. The final route is the Italian domestic link between Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa.

Moscow – Sochi/Adler most competitive city pair
If instead of considering airport pairs we examine city pairs within Europe, the most competitive markets now include a large number of markets from London. With six airports designated as serving the UK capital (Gatwick, Heathrow, London City, Luton, Southend and Stansted) it’s no surprise that London routes now feature prominently. However, only one city pair can beat the eight carriers between Cologne Bonn and Antalya, and Düsseldorf and Antalya as reported earlier in this analysis. And it does not involve London. Instead it is the Russian domestic route between Moscow and Sochi/Adler, which according to OAG Schedules Analyser data had a total of 10 different carriers serving the market this August.

Two other Moscow routes also appear with seven competing airlines. Moscow is served by three airports; Domodedovo, Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo. Seven city pairs involving London are served by seven carriers; four in Spain, two in Greece and one each in Cyprus and Italy.

TURKEY: Archaeological Discovery In Turkey To Boost Tourism

Turkey has been investing heavily in its tourist sector in recent years to great success and much of its capital has been spent in uncovering the country’s rich history which draws tourists like a magnet from all over the world.

Among the many areas being excavated to uncover Turkey’s ancient and fascinating history is the town of Anazarbus, formerly an ancient Cilician city situated in modern-day Antalya, and a popular area for tourism and international property investment. Archaeological digs have been underway since mid-2014 and the discovery of a gladiatorial ring, buried underground for centuries, has just been announced.

With a $335,000 grant from Turkey’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism also intend to excavate a nearby amphitheatre in the 4 million square meter city.

Beneath the amphitheatre are what are believed to be the arches and chambers where wild animals, including lions and tigers, waited to be brought into the stadium to fight the gladiators, according to Çukurova University archaeologist Fatih Gülşen, who is in charge of the project.

Anazarbus is on the outskirts of present-day Dilekkaya in the Kozan district of Adana Province, where the ruins are fast-becoming a major tourist attraction. The city had the only known two-lane road in the ancient world, stretching 2,700 metres and lined with monumental columns, which archaeologists are now restoring.

Now known as Antalya, the city is the hub of the Turkish Mediterranean and has a diverse landscape and dynamic economy, making it an investment hotspot for savvy property buyers. Antalya’s buoyant property market has transformed the region into one of the most exciting destinations for investment capital on the Turkish Riviera and with property prices remaining at significantly discounted levels from their peak in 2007, there are plenty of bargains to be found.

Antalya’s rapid economic growth has seen the city’s population double in ten years to more than a million in 2013 and property investors are increasingly looking for BTL rental opportunities in the local private rental market, achieving significant yields from occupying Turkish nationals in its up- and-coming suburbs. Antalya’s galvanised economy and subsequent positive growth throughout the region has bolstered real estate values together with the area’s international profile and there has been a flurry of investor interest in particular from buyers in the Middle East in 2015.

Turkey is a country where East meets West, giving it a diverse cultural history that has enormous international appeal. It’s wealth of ancient monuments and historical sites are a significant pull for tourists from all ethnicities and cultures and, for that reason, the country’s property markets are becoming much more active in terms of transaction volume which ultimately is pushing up prices in Turkey’s popular investment destinations, like Antalya.

The whole region is a goldmine of rental potential with annual yields reaching as high as 8% for exceptional sea view and exclusive Antalya properties and homes in Antalya Konyaalti and Lara Beach areas can be let out throughout the year for a steady annual income. Average property prices have increased by more than a staggering 100% over the past 10 years, making the area exceptionally desirable to property investors from all over the world.