Orhan Tolun, President of the Cypriot Turkish Tourism and Travel Agencies Association (KITSAB), has sounded the alarm on the critical state of tourism in North Cyprus. According to Tolun, the industry is on the verge of collapse due to escalating costs across various sectors.
In a recent statement, Tolun pointed out that Ercan Airport has become “the most expensive place in the world,” making travel to North Cyprus prohibitively costly for many potential visitors. He emphasized that the uncontrolled increases in flight ticket prices have significantly raised the overall expense of visiting the country.
The problem extends beyond transportation, as Tolun noted that local businesses, including hotels and restaurants, have become more expensive than their counterparts in both South Cyprus and Türkiye. This widespread inflation in the market has created a substantial financial burden for tourists and locals alike.
Tolun expressed grave concern that these unchecked price hikes across multiple sectors have pushed the tourism industry to the brink of extinction in North Cyprus. The compounding effect of expensive flights and costly local services is making the region increasingly uncompetitive as a tourist destination.