REPORTAGE. Despite inflation, Istanbul attracts more and more tourists from all over the world

Turkish gastronomy, historical wonders, spice bazaars, the Bosphorus… So many assets that have made Istanbul one of the world’s top destinations, which this year is targeting 60 million tourists.

With 17 million visitors in the first five months of the year, Turkey is aiming to establish itself as a world-class tourist destination, beating its record of 50 million tourists last year. This year, it is aiming for 60 million and revenues of $60 billion. And Istanbul, of course, is the favorite destination.

On the historic peninsula, the esplanade of Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque is teeming with tourists. It’s time for a little break under a tree for Paul, the American, who intends to make the most of the two days he’s spending in Istanbul: “Hagia Sophia, the Cistern… We will also visit the Topkapi Palace, he lists. We saw Dolmabahçe and took a cruise on the Bosphorus. It’s beautiful, the history is incredible.”

They are all there for the former church converted into a mosque, like Maria, a Russian historian who lives in Germany. “You know Hagia Sophia is also very famous in Russian culture, she describes. This is the cradle of our Orthodox Church. And it’s summer, it’s nice to be in a warm country. We come from Berlin, it was so cold.”

Carmen, from Cordoba, Spain, waits in line: “It’s a different culture. I’m looking forward to visiting the mosque: what I wanted was to see this part of the world get to know this part that is both European and Asian… What struck me was the chaotic traffic, and then, this mixture of cultures.”

Moira and Miled, who came from Paris, are also won over. “It’s a mixture of East and West, she says. We eat well too”they smiled, talking about durum and lahmacun, a kind of pancake. But a little surprise still awaited them: “It’s expensivenotes Moira, I did not expect this. Especially the price of museums”. “And Hagia Sophia adds Miled, it is now paying for the French and we cannot see it as well as before”. “Topkapi Palace was a deterrent”Moira answers.

It costs 50 euros for a daytime visit, 150 for a night visit. In front of the ticket office of the Palace, a young couple counts their money. “Prices have gone up terribly in the last two or three months. 50 euros for a visit to Topkapi Palace… I don’t know.”the husband hesitates. “I don’t pay for that”his companion decides.

Inflation is now also weighing on tourists’ budgets. This is already being felt on the southern beaches, hotels in Bodrum are only 70% full. Professionals are offering last-minute discounts on the European and Russian markets. Turkey may have a harder time breaking all its records than it imagined.