Unmentioned issues

THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY has faced issues that it never faced before due to the pandemic. While the sector is trying to breathe, it’s also focused on daily developments and finding solutions to the problems it is facing. For example, it is currently dealing with the sectoral short-term working allowance, contribution to the Turkey Tourism Promotion and Development Agency (TGA) and the scandal short film for tourism promotion.

These are the most important and discussed issues for the sector. Moreover, other serious but lesser-known problems continue to increase and have not emerged yet. One of these is the establishments’ loan issue, where interest continues to increase day by day.

While international authorities, namely Turkey’s strong competitors Spain and Greece, are trying to find solutions to the issues in the tourism sector that were brought on by the pandemic, they are also discussing the state of post-pandemic tourism and conducting academic and sectoral studies about it.

For example, the authorities of both the public and private sectors are conducting studies regarding the future of tourism facilities which were hit by the pandemic. Investment funds, mostly from the U.S., are practically stalking hotels in Spain. The Spanish government approved the Tobin tax, which makes it harder for capital to go overseas for hotels that can be bought by foreign investors. So, foreigners will have to pay an additional tax if they buy a hotel chain in Spain.

Although not so comprehensive, Greece has been conducting its own studies. So, what about Turkey? Unfortunately, there aren’t any public or private studies regarding the management of post-pandemic tourism. You may say no one would care about what will happen after the pandemic while people are wondering if the short-term allowance will continue.

It’s natural and understandable when the sector is focusing on urgent issues. But that doesn’t mean that the other issues should be overlooked. Because as they say, “There will come a day…”