Tourists In Turkey Being Charged £43 For A Kebab As Prices Are Hiked

Holidaymakers in Turkey are being hit with mammoth charges from beach resorts as the tourism industry picks up again amid the coronavirus crisis.

Travellers who thought they were getting a cheap European holiday are being left disappointed by the prices, which have meant they've had to shell out for meals, and even for a dip in the sea.

At one hotel beach bar in Bodrum, visitors were being charged as much as 396 lira (£43) for a döner kebab and 369 lira (£65) for two guests to swim in the sea.

In a receipt shared by Turkish news outlet Hurriyet, a cup of coffee was as much as 50 lira (£5.87) while a pitta bread cost 184 lira (£22).

To put that in perspective, elsewhere, you could grab a pitta for around 15 lira, which is £1.76...

The tourist resort is popular with British travellers who are looking for low cost package holidays.

However, locals have pointed out that there are other destinations in Bodrum which are much cheaper, and advised travellers to be wary when picking pricey hot-spots to spend the day.

It's worth noting that the high prices not only affect tourists, but those who live in the area, too.

But speaking to reporters at a press conference on Sunday, Mayor Ahmet Aras said that he would not condemn the raised prices, given the current climate.

He pointed out that Bodrum hosted some of the world's wealthiest holidaymakers and homeowners, who expected "high quality service," adding that the tourism industry was "responsible for taking whatever it can from the pockets of tourists to the last penny."

"You don't have to go to that establishment, but they certainly have customers who will pay such a price," he argued.

"If Bodrum offers cheaper products, tourists who usually spend money here, will spend it instead elsewhere - in Santorini or Ibiza, for instance."

They mayor concluded: "I don't care if someone wants to pay a high price for a doner kebab. They can pay TL 100,000 if they want. But there are also places selling döner for TL 20 (about $3) here.

"Businesses here are already taking a hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They can't make ends meet.

"Of course, that doesn't mean that they have to overcharge their customers."

Featured Image Credit: Unsplash

Joanna Freedman

Joanna is a journalist at Tyla with a particular interest in highlighting women's issues and telling inspiring first person stories. She's also their resident foodie, and loves covering exciting new beauty launches, too. Contact her at [email protected].

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