As the energy crisis hits Europe, which is bracing for a tough winter with tight control on natural gas usage, Europeans have already started to book hotels in Türkiye to spend the cold months ahead.
November bookings from visitors from the continent, whose energy bills increased more than tenfold are already up 50%, the tourism sector representatives said.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent sanctions by Western nations have created a deadlock on energy supplies, as now Vladimir Putin further warns Europe with shutting down the natural gas valves altogether.
The continent has been struggling to contain the crisis that could lead to rolling blackouts, shuttered factories and a deep recession.
The crisis deepened when Russia's state-owned exporter Gazprom said the main pipeline carrying gas to Germany would stay closed, due to an oil leak and said the problems could not be fixed because of sanctions barring many dealings with Russia.
European officials said it is "energy blackmail," aimed at pressuring and dividing the European Union as it supports Ukraine against Russia's invasion.
Ferhan Ademhan, member of the board of the Anatolian Tourism Operators Association in Türkiye, said that normally their facilities in the holiday regions were closed 50% from September, 80% toward October, and completely in November.
“But this year our facilities will operate at full capacity. We think that our tourist target this year will reach 40 million. So far, we have exceeded 26 million. This means $35 billion in revenue," he told Turkish daily Sabah.
Ademhan said that if the political conjuncture for the winter months and the developments in the world continue like this, they expect the hotels and apartments that are closed in the winter to reach a high level of occupancy.
He said that currently, Ukrainian and Russian tourists are in the majority in the country and they are extending their holidays and renting apartments instead of hotel rooms.
Now, he said, they expect a flock of visitors from Europe as well due to the natural gas shortages.
“There will be serious demand,” Ademhan said, referencing the warnings in the European press and parliament, such as "take fewer showers, use less water and wipe yourself with a cloth instead of showering."
Facing the upcoming crisis, Europe has lined up all the alternative gas supplies it could: shipments of liquefied natural gas, that come by ship from the United States and more pipeline gas from Norway and Azerbaijan. LNG is much more expensive than pipeline gas, however.
Germany, for example, is keeping coal plants in operation that it was going to shutter to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It also is keeping the option of reactivating two nuclear plants it set to shut down.
The 27-nation European Union has approved a plan to reduce gas use by 15% by next March, roughly the amount experts say will need to make up for the loss of Russian gas. Yet those conservation measures are voluntary in member countries for now.
National governments have approved a raft of measures: bailouts for utilities forced to pay exorbitant prices for Russian gas, cash for hard-hit households and tax breaks.
Türkiye has been affected by the energy crisis, yet in contrast to Europe, it is not expected to face any disruptions this winter as long as gas suppliers follow through on their pledges, Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister Fatih Dönmez said previously.
“Europe is going through a serious bottleneck in both supply and pricing,” he said.
“If natural gas suppliers comply with their shipment schedules, I hope we will go through this winter without any problems. Yet, unfortunately, we are also adversely affected by the developments in the world in terms of prices,” Dönmez said.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also said earlier he did not expect Türkiye to experience any energy shortages this year, as he blamed Europe’s energy crisis on the sanctions imposed on Russia.
“Europe is actually reaping what it sowed,” Erdoğan said, adding that sanctions drove Russian President Vladimir Putin to retaliate using energy supplies.
“I think Europe will experience serious problems this winter. We do not have such a problem,” he stressed.
