Protests continue in Istanbul, which raise questions among tourists due to the active media coverage. The current situation has somewhat reduced the demand for tours to the "cultural capital" of Turkey, but representatives of the tourism business are confident that the situation will return to normal soon.
Despite the many emotional shots published by the media from Istanbul and other Turkish cities, according to representatives of the local tourism business, tourists are not in danger of anything worse than some inconveniences associated with increased pick-up time due to the closure of individual highways.
"The current protests are mostly taking place in a democratic atmosphere. The absence of violence and acts of vandalism indicates that they are peaceful and do not pose a serious threat to tourists. However, in the areas where the protesters are concentrated – for example, Sarachane and Fatih – there are restrictions on movement, which can create inconvenience for visitors to the city," explained PEGAS Touristik coordinator for CIS countries and head of the Committee on inbound Tourism of the Association of Travel Agencies of Turkey (TŰRSAB) in a conversation with Vestnik ATOR Orhan Sanjar.
There are no problems with entering and leaving Istanbul
Mr. Sanjar notes that the scale of what is happening is exaggerated by the media.In particular, three sources in the Turkish tourism industry confirmed to our publication that reports of limited transport accessibility in Istanbul are not true and do not affect tourists.
"That's not true. Checks can indeed be organized for individual vehicles at the entrance to the city, but entry and exit from the city are carried out freely," said one of the interlocutors.
The guide of a large local host company also informed that the city continues to operate as usual.
"Checks are being carried out at the entrances and exits of the city for large groups of people arriving from outside Istanbul to participate in demonstrations. There is no question of closing the entrances and exits. Everyday life continues for both citizens and tourists," the specialist said.
It is better to choose a hotel outside the most crowded areas and streets.
The only difficulty that tourists may encounter is the increased waiting time for the transfer due to the closure of some city streets. Practice also suggests that there may be similar problems with public transport: metro stations closest to protest sites may be closed or buses running along these streets may be stopped.In a practical sense, for tourists, this means that it is better to choose hotels at some distance from the central squares of the city, Istiklal Street, and the central streets of Sultanahmet, Bayazet, Laleli and Aksaray districts, which are sometimes blocked. This is not a problem due to the large volume of a wide variety of accommodation facilities in Istanbul.
Moreover, we are talking about logistical inconveniences, not a security threat.
Tourists are advised to avoid places where demonstrators congregate.
"We recommend that tourists avoid crowds and follow the instructions of tour operators. We have no cancellations, there are about 4,000 tourists in the city now. We advise them not to visit closed places, and excursions take place as usual, with the exception of areas near municipal buildings where transport delays are possible," says Kadir Ozel, head of a large hosting company in Istanbul.
The tourist flow to Istanbul is decreasing, but this is a trend
In the "Russian Express" They reported on isolated requests from tourists and on the prompt resolution of the issue with the host country."There have been isolated reports from tourists regarding disruptions in the WhatsApp messenger and changes in the time of excursions due to road closures. The host company of the tour operator in Turkey promptly contacted the customers and resolved the issues that arose. The partners fully provide transportation and sightseeing services: routes do not change, tourists do not refuse excursions. Rallies in Istanbul take place only in the evening, so they practically do not affect travelers' vacations," the company explained.Intourist continues to serve tourists in Istanbul as usual. The tour operator has not received any complaints from customers, and there are no cancellations or postponements of tours.
"The Russian–speaking staff of the host offices in Istanbul are in touch with the guests via messengers, and guests can also contact the guides with any questions," said a representative of the tour operator.
However, analyzing the current tourist flow to Istanbul, ATOR's Vice President for Outbound Tourism, CEO of the Space Travel tour operator Artur Muradian said that this year the demand for tours has decreased compared to last year.
"We see a slight slowdown in demand for Istanbul – by about 5-10% compared to last year. At the same time, other resorts in Turkey – Antalya, Marmaris, Bodrum – have not yet felt the effect," he said.The tour operator has not received any complaints from guests who are already in Turkey.
Anex agrees with colleagues: the protests have almost no effect on vacationers, except for a temporary slowdown in the Internet. The work is going on normally. The company suggests that events may affect demand, but in the short term.
But Space Travel fears that if the situation with the protests does not improve or becomes more tense, then we should expect a further slowdown in sales of Istanbul, which remains one of the most popular destinations for city tours during the May holidays.
Travel market experts point out that the decline in demand for sightseeing tours to Istanbul is not necessarily related to the protests, as this trend has been observed since the beginning of the year. In January 2025, 6% fewer organized tourists from Russia went to the city than a year earlier, and in February – 8% less.
So far, the protests in Istanbul have had a limited impact on tourism. If they remain peaceful, no serious consequences are expected for the industry. However, the situation requires monitoring, especially in terms of information coverage and operational information for travelers.
Please note that this press release is based on materials provided by the company. AK&M Information Agency shall not be held liable for its contents, nor for the legal and other consequences of its publication.
