Turkey: Another beautiful city urged to bring in tourist tax | World | News
A local tour guide called on Turkey‘s government to introduce stricter rules to regulate tourism accommodation as he advocated for a new tourist tax.
Zekeriya Şen, the founder of personalised travel firm Fest Travel, warned current tourism practices in Turkey are not suitable, especially when it comes to one of its most-visited cities, Istanbul.
Mr Şen called on the city’s mayor, Ekrem İmamoğlu, to impose a “ban on renting apartments to tourists or take very drastic measures to solve the housing crisis caused by tourism.”
He warned: “It also contributes to the locals becoming poorer and less self-sufficient in their economic crisis.
“Istanbul needs to promote tourism practices and take measures to overcome housing affordability issues. Residents are looking for a city that is less dependent on tourism revenue.”
The local guide insisted the city is already equipped with a sufficient number of hotels and rented accommodation but more should be done to fill them “effectively.”
He continued: “It may be useful to implement a policy that restricts the opening of hotels in certain areas. It is very important to consider the current room capacity in our city.
“According to a November 2023 report by TÜROB, there are 1,717 hotels in Istanbul with 75,079 rooms and 152,441 beds. In my opinion, this is more than enough for a world city like Istanbul.
“Frankly, I am very insistent on this issue, Istanbul should consider implementing a tourist tax aimed at improving the city’s infrastructure and services, and this should be regulated according to hotel standards.”
Mr Şen added: “Our city deserves to be seen as a valued destination rather than a place to be visited casually.
“Restrictions, penalties, strict inspections and setting fees will help it maintain its appeal. Also, encouraging respectful behaviour among tourists towards the city and its inhabitants should be a top priority.”
Like several other European holiday hotspots, Turkey has been faced with a growing number of tourists – with locals calling for extensive measures to contain and limit the negative impact over-tourism has on the country.
Moves have already been made to safeguard leading cultural centres, with the archaeological site of Phaselis, on Turkey’s southern coast, announcing it will implant a new tourism management plan to curb overcrowding.
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy unveiled the move after months of backlash from locals decrying the decision to upgrade the area to better suit the large tourist community.
The site, which is located near the town of Tekirova, a popular tourist destination, draws in visitors from across Turkey and abroad.
Earlier this year, the Government began charging tourists visiting Istanbul’s Hagia Sophia £21.36 (€25) to enter the attraction.
The Hagia Sophia is a mosque that was once a church and serves as a major cultural and historical site in Turkey. Though it was once free to visit, the charge was introduced in January.
With around 3.5 million tourists visiting each year, the charge may lead to a reduction in people visiting.
Though Istanbul has introduced the charge for tourists, Turkish nationals wishing to worship can still enter for free.
The charge is aimed at separating tourists from worshippers, with the mosque still used by numerous Turkish nationals daily.
