Iranians flocked to Türkiye’s eastern Van province for "Black Friday" shopping, contributing to the momentum in the bookings of Turkish hotels that haven’t received many reservations from the neighboring country due to the internet blackouts amid the ongoing protests in Iran.
The now-coming crowds caught Turkish hoteliers off guard and put a smile on the sector representatives’ faces as the hotels immediately saw their occupancy rates reach 100% from around 30% earlier in the month.
Yunus Yüksel, head of the Van Hoteliers and Tourism Association (VANOTED), stated that the occupancy rate in the hotels reached 100%, noting: “There were around 4,000 tourists waiting at the Iran Customs Gate. These tourists most recently crossed the border as well. More than 10,000 visitors are expected to come to Van in this three-day period.”
This year's tourism season has been particularly lively in Van, where Iranian tourists have occasionally come to shop in several holiday seasons. During the summer months, the occupancy rate of the hotels in the city reached 100%. However, the events that started in Iran in October hit the hotel owners due to the restriction of the internet. The occupancy rate in hotels dropped to 30% in November.
Yüksel further stressed that they had a very good summer season as hoteliers, adding: "The occupancy rate of our hotels had dropped very low at the beginning of November, but now tourists have started to come for a three-day holiday and shopping for the 'wonderful Friday.'"
“Van is not a city that receives seasonal tourists, but a city that receives tourists for 12 months,” he noted.
Türkiye is expected to host more than 2 million Iranian tourists this year while according to the earlier statements of Turkish tourism officials, the Iranian tourist record of 2.5 million in 2017 could be exceeded in 2023.
Located near the Iranian border, Van is a tourist attraction for its natural wonders and historic monuments. Most Iranian tourists arrive in March and April for their 13-day Nevruz holiday, which is the Persian New Year and celebrates the coming of spring.
The city also hosts a major shopping fest that coincides with the Nevruz holiday. The fest lasts up to 15 days and is a major source of income for local businesses and accommodation facilities.
