Saatcioglu, the coordinator of Limak International Hotels & Resorts, is one of many in hospitality expecting to see Turkey's economically vital tourism sector recover from a quake that dragged down bookings and hotel stays.
The quake has caused tourists to think twice before booking a trip to Turkey, a major Mediterranean holiday destination. A drop in new bookings means less revenue for travel professionals and the economy at large, said Olivier Ponti, ForwardKeys' vice president for insights. Despite strong bookings recently across the travel sector in Europe as a whole, Turkey has not been able to regain momentum.
Such cancellations would push back a potential recovery further even though hoteliers are anxious to fill their rooms. According to data from the Antalya governorate, foreign arrivals to the popular Mediterranean resort area increased by 54% in March year-on-year, hitting a record high. Russians ranked first, followed by Germans and Britons, the data showed.