How many crises can the Turkish tourism industry endure?
Tourism has always provided a substantial amount of income for Türkiye, attracting 44.6 million foreign arrivals in 2022. Subsequently, the revenue from tourism has been critical to relieve the pressures of economic uncertainty. Yet, the catastrophic impacts of the recent 7.8-magnitude earthquake, which struck south-eastern Türkiye and neighbouring Syria, might halt tourism significantly. As a result, tourism damage caused by the earthquake may have significant effects on economic systems.
As of writing, 10 Turkish provinces have been impacted by the quake: Adana, Adiyaman, Diyarbakir, Gaziantep, Hatay, Kahramanmaras, Kilis, Malatya, Osmaniye and Sanliurfa. Additionally, the ancient historic site of Gaziantep Castle (circa 656 AD), has been badly damaged by the shock, and buildings at the Diyarbakir Fortress and Hevsel Gardens have collapsed. The latter is a world heritage site dating back more than 2,000 years. In total Türkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority said 5,775 buildings have been destroyed in the quake, and although tourist sites like Gaziantep are located a relatively far distance from some of the country's main tourist hubs such as Antalya, and Istanbul, the possibility of further aftershocks remains a concern.
Alongside widespread destruction of historical sites and buildings, Turkish airlines have also canceled hundreds of flights, and airports, such as Hatay Airport, have closed due to damaged runways.
The earthquake has raised concerns over unregulated development and aging building stock. Thus, questions are being raised over how ‘earthquake proof' buildings are in major cities, which could in turn reduce tourism and overall investments. Ultimately, the catastrophic impact of the earthquake will likely disrupt Türkiye’s tourism industry significantly for the foreseeable future.