Even if prices soar, Türkiye's place in Germany is irreplaceable

The slowdown following the early booking period is easing for tour operators and travel agencies in Germany , thanks to the surge in last-minute sales. However, tourism professionals remain cautious, as price fluctuations, late-arriving discounts, and changing customer behavior continue to challenge the sector.

Opportunities for families have begun

Beate Einhäuser, manager of TUI 's last-minute specialist L'tur , stated that sales have increased rapidly in the last 2-3 weeks, while Michael Nickel from Alltours and Hicabi Ayhan from Coral Travel/Ferien Touristik said they observed a similar trend.

Families, in particular, have now started to take advantage of the holidays they had previously postponed due to high prices, with affordable deals.

"Prices of 6,000-7,000 euros a week were out of reach for many families. Now hotels are offering discounts of up to 40 percent, and airlines have adapted," said Schmetterling CEO Ömer Karaca .

Structural change in the market: July and August are weakening

Andreas Rüttgers , tourism manager at Schauinsland-Reisen , notes that July and August, the peak summer months, have become problematic, with families avoiding these months due to high prices. Instead, customers not tied to school holidays are turning to June and September.

In-demand destinations and late-arriving discounts

While Turkey , the Balearic Islands , Greece and Egypt stand out in short-term demand, some long-haul routes ( Maldives , Mauritius , the Caribbean ) are also attracting interest.

However, tour operators criticize hotels and airlines for being too slow to offer discounts. Michael Nickel says hotels, particularly those that haven't seen the same results in alternative markets like Russia, are now being forced to offer discounts.

Price fluctuations affect customer confidence

"This season, especially in Türkiye, prices started high, remained stable for a long time, and only started dropping at the last minute," said Ömer Karaca. This can lead to dissatisfaction among customers who booked early.

Andreas Rüttgers emphasized that hotels differ in their pricing strategies: "Some hotels follow a stable pricing policy in their annual plans, eliminating the need for large last-minute discounts. Others are forced to lower prices at the last minute due to pressure from private equity funds."

Alternatives cannot replace Türkiye

While there is strong demand for more affordable destinations like Egypt , Tunisia and Bulgaria , these countries cannot match the high capacity and quality that Turkey has.

“Turkey was very good for early booking, I wish these prices had lasted until March,” said Hicabi Ayhan of Coral Travel .

Industry goal: Balanced sales mix

Nickel and Rüttgers emphasize the need to strike a healthy balance between early booking and last-minute sales.

Ensuring occupancy in advance with affordable pricing policies that attract families, especially during high-season periods like July and August, is seen as a more sustainable solution for both operators and consumers. Source: fvw/TravelTalk