Turkey is getting more expensive: what awaits Ukrainian tourists this season
11 June 2025 19:12
ANALYSIS FROM 
The cost of a vacation in Turkey will surprise tourists. This year, the cost of a tour has increased by at least 20%, and this is just the beginning of the season. An independent vacation will hit your wallet even harder, as the entrance to some beaches has risen by 300%, not including the rise in prices in restaurants and hotels. Komersant found out the details of vacationing at Turkish resorts.
According to the Turkish press, a 19% decrease in tourist arrivals has already been recorded this year. About 33% of tourists from Germany were lost, 20% from Russia, and 8% from the UK. According to Recep Yavuz, Chairman of the Tourism Working Group of the Antalya City Council, the idea that holidays in Turkey have become expensive has been around since the 2024 season, and this has significantly affected bookings. Tourists who have been accustomed to low prices for many years have a hard time accepting new realities. According to him, the main competitors for budget tourists are Egypt, Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Tunisia. Needless to say, the Turks themselves preferred the beaches of Greece to the local ones this year, where they went en masse for a long weekend in early June.
Turkey is going through hard times. Last year, due to inflation, prices in the tourism industry rose by 32.2%, and hotel prices by 36.7%, according to the Turkish Statistical Office. The largest growth was observed in the catering sector – 42% and accommodation – 41.4%. In March 2025, prices began to rise again – by 43.5% compared to the previous year. Hotels have risen in price the most – by almost 40%. At the beginning of the season, hotels are half empty.
Despite prices, demand remains high
According to Ukrainian tour operators, there is still a demand for vacation packages, albeit a small one. But this is only the beginning of the season. Ukrainians traditionally travel to Turkey from mid-June to October.
Thus, in 2025, vacations in Turkey became more expensive compared to 2024. For example, in June last year, a week’s stay for two people at the five-star Concorde Deluxe Resort in Antalya cost about 1500-1800 euros. This year, for the same week in the same hotel, you will have to pay about 2000-2200 euros. This is an increase of 25-30% per year. But there are cheaper options – second-line hotels can be found for 700-1000 euros. The cost of the tour also depends on the transportation: the bus is cheaper, and the plane is more expensive, but also faster,” comments Anna Miroshnychenko, travel agent manager.
“Early booking can save up to 20%, but it all depends on the hotel and region. Last minute tours can also be useful. However, Ukrainians will have to pay more for Turkey this year.
Savage vacation – an alternative with costs
There is still the option of an independent vacation – the so-called “savage” vacation. You can find a night in a hotel for 2000 UAH, or even 6000 UAH, sometimes even with breakfast. But you will still have to spend money on food and private beaches. In the summer season of 2025, prices have risen, especially in such popular resorts as Bodrum, Cesme, Marmaris, Fethiye, and Junda. This year, private beaches have set high spending limits and prices in euros.
For example, some beaches in Bodrum accept payment in euros. Entrance to Buddha Bar Beach costs 225 euros, and Maçakızı Beach costs 200 euros, plus additional fees for service and sunbeds. On other beaches in Bodrum, prices range from 700 to 4500 liras. In Marmaris, some beaches are free to enter, but there is a mandatory spending limit – for example, 1200 lira.
Hopes for the season and the future of the market
Interestingly, the Turkish authorities are generally convinced that despite the rise in prices, the 2025 season will be successful – 18 million tourists are expected to visit Turkey, despite the “false start” with half-empty hotels.
The beginning of the season is in a state of stagnation, but there is hope, said Hakan Saatchioglu, president of the Professional Hotel Managers Association (POYD). Managers admit that they are counting on the war in Ukraine to end as soon as possible so that the tourism market can start working properly.
Even talk of ending the war is a positive signal. We used to receive 1 million 250 thousand Ukrainian tourists, and last year this figure dropped to 300 thousand. The situation with Russia is similar: we used to receive 5.5 million tourists, and last year we received 3.9 million. I believe that we will grow again in these markets after the war is over,” says the POYD chairman.
Will all-inclusive remain?
Today, the Turks rely on tourists from Germany: this year they plan to attract about 7 million Germans, some of whom may be Ukrainians. By the way, in order to save money and make tours more affordable, representatives of the Turkish tourism industry propose to revise the popular all-inclusive format in hotels. In their opinion, it is worthwhile to provide a choice of individual services, for example, to refuse alcohol as part of the package. Insisting solely on this system may create new problems for the Turkish hotel business in the future. Therefore, according to hotel representatives, “all-inclusive” should no longer be perceived as the only and only option for a vacation in Turkey.
Author – Alla Dunina
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