Tourism in Uzungol declines as Gulf tourists leave Black Sea region

There has been a noticeable decline in the number of tourists from Gulf countries visiting the Eastern Black Sea region in 2024, with many citing high prices at local tourist facilities as a key factor.

Volkan Kantarci, Head of the Eastern Black Sea Region for TURSAB (Association of Turkish Travel Agencies), stated that Gulf tourists have expressed dissatisfaction with the rising costs.

Sharp decline in Gulf tourists visiting eastern Black Sea

“Tourists from the Gulf are opting for other destinations. This season, the world-famous tourism center Uzungol has seen significant losses.

The same trend is visible in Trabzon. Even during peak periods, occupancy rates for four-and five-star hotels barely reached 60%, when they should have been at least 70%,” Kantarci noted.

Kantarci highlighted that Türkiye had lifted visa requirements for six Middle Eastern countries during the winter period, but other countries followed suit shortly after.

“Fifteen days after Türkiye lifted visa requirements, the U.K. did the same for four Middle Eastern countries. Bosnia-Herzegovina followed suit within a month.

Russia is now offering visa-free travel to many countries, with direct flights to Sochi already started. Azerbaijan, particularly Baku, has also attracted some tourists,” he said.

High prices in tourism facilities drive visitors away

Many Middle Eastern families have visited the Black Sea region multiple times, with some investing in businesses or forming partnerships.

However, Kantarci pointed out that it is natural for tourists to explore new destinations if they face high costs or other issues during their stay.

“If they perceive certain problems or high costs, it is normal for them to choose other destinations for a few years. We need to take the right actions to recover these losses,” Kantarci added.