Vacation trends shift as cultural, nature tours surge in popularity

Preferences have changed during this summer vacation due to both high hotel prices and climate conditions.

Sector representatives said those who cannot go to popular vacation destinations such as Çeşme and Bodrum due to high prices this year prefer cultural tours, which provide price advantages.

"In the summer period, plateau, nature, adventure and cultural tours were among the vacation preferences of our citizens," said Firuz Bağlıkaya, president of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB).

"The Black Sea was very popular in this regard. However, Cappadocia, Afyonkarahisar and Pamukkale are also among our destinations that attract attention," he added.

Tourism professionals said that there was a 25 percent increase in travel to the Central Black Sea region of Samsun-Sinop-Giresun during the summer period and emphasized the price advantage.

"The average price of an all-inclusive hotel in Antalya for seven nights and eight days is 100,000 Turkish Liras, whereas in cultural tours, the price is almost half, around 55,000-60,000 liras," said one tour operator.

The high prices of holiday regions with sea, sand and sun and the high climate cycle have started to change vacation preferences, but there are also other factors, according to TÜRSAB Cultural Tourism Specialization President İlham Seyyale.

"Turkish people realized the value of their country, started to recognize its history and turned to these places," he said.

"At the same time, after the pandemic, people started to be interested in walking tours or short trips, which we call nature and adventure, because people move together in small groups."

Seyyale added that those who prefer the cultural tours also have the chance to know different...