TURKEY: COUNTRY'S TOURISM INDUSTRY GRIPPED WITH FEAR OF A DOWNWARD SPIRAL FOLLOWING RECENT TWIN BOMBINGS IN ISTANBUL
Record ID:
208388
TURKEY: COUNTRY'S TOURISM INDUSTRY GRIPPED WITH FEAR OF A DOWNWARD SPIRAL FOLLOWING RECENT TWIN BOMBINGS IN ISTANBUL
- Title: TURKEY: COUNTRY'S TOURISM INDUSTRY GRIPPED WITH FEAR OF A DOWNWARD SPIRAL FOLLOWING RECENT TWIN BOMBINGS IN ISTANBUL
- Date: 22nd November 2003
- Summary: (EU)ISTANBUL, TURKEY (NOVEMBER 22, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. GENERAL VIEW OF ISTANBUL FROM THE BOSPHORUS SEA (2 SHOTS) 0.10 2. LONG VIEW OF SULTAN AHMED MOSQUE KNOWN AS BLUE MOSQUE AND TOURIST SITE 0.15 3. VIEW OF GRAND BAZAAR, SECURITY GUARDS POSTED AT ENTRANCE AND CHECKING THOSE WHO ENTER WITH METAL DETECTOR (3 SHOTS) 0.30 4. VIEW OF SHOPOWNERS HANGING AROUND IN GROUPS WITH NO WORK (2 SHOTS) 0.39 5. (SOUDNBITE)(English) SAIT HIGBEZMEZ, LEATHER GOODS SHOP OWNER IN THE BAZAAR SAYING: "Before this one (bombings) we had many customers but now as you see there is nobody in the bazaar so that is not good for us, also for the whole world. Terrorism is not a good thing." 0.53 6. VIEW OF SHOPOWNERS SITTING AROUND WITH NOTHING TO DO IN THE BAZAAR (2 SHOTS) 1.04 7. SHOPOWNERS AND SHOPPERS IN BAZAAR (2 SHOTS) 1.14 8. TOURISTS NEAR SHOPS (2 SHOTS) 1.24 9. (SOUNDBITE)(English) SHARON BITTLE, AMERICAN TOURIST FROM FLORIDA SAYING: "Bombings and things are taking place all over the world so If my number up my numbers up." 1.31 10. SV/SCU: SHOP WORKER WITH TOURISTS (2 SHOTS) 1.40 11. (SOUDNBITE)(English) JOHN DOUGHTY, AMERICAN TOURIST FROM CHICAGO, ILLINOIS SAYING: "We are being cautious, we are paying attention, trying to stay away from the main locations, so we want to get in the bazaar, far from the outside edges. I think the mosques are okay. So it's okay." 1.54 12. VIEW OF AGIA SOFIA MOSQUE, POPULAR TOURIST DESTINATION 2.00 13. CLOSER VIEW OF AGIA SOFIA MOSQUE BEHIND FOUNTAIN 2.04 14. VIEW OF TOURIST DENIS SCOTT FROM MALTA WITH HIS FAMILY SITTING IN FRONT OF FOUNTAIN (2 SHOTS) 2.14 15. (SOUNDBITE)(English) DENIS SCOTT TOURIST FROM MALTA SAYING: "There were the bombings already last week but we had already booked and we didn't think of cancelling, we decided to go ahead with our plans." 2.28 16. VIEW OF TRAVEL AGENCY IN TOURIST QUARTER (2 SHOTS) 2.37 17. (SOUNDBITE)(English) HAYDEN MANN, TRAVEL CONSULTANT AT A LOCAL TRAVEL AGENCY IN TOURIST QUARTER SAYING: "This year because of the war (Iraq) tourism was down a lot I could say 50% internet bookings as well so I am afraid that might happen." 2.49 18. VARIOUS VIEW OF AUSTRALIAN AND BRITISH TOURISTS WATCHING THE RUGBY MATCH AND CHEERING IN A PUB IN ISTANBUL (5 SHOTS) 3.15 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 7th December 2003 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ISTANBUL, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Reuters ID: LVA78OE0PTBN3JL0V58AP1BNRUVJ
- Story Text: Turkey's tourism industry has been gripped with fear of a
downward spiral in tourism following the twin bombings
that struck the city this week.
In Istanbul's Grand Bazaar, one of the most popular
tourist destinations and a symbol of Turkish tourism in the
city, shopowners say tourist traffic has decreased since
the suicide bombings that destroyed the British consulate
and HSBC bank.
Tourists were already staying away after the first two
bombings on synagogues in the city last week, and now stall
owners are panicking over their livelihood. They mulled
about their shops, talking to each other or drinking tea,
waiting for a customer in their empty stores.
Corridors of the massive maze-like bazaar were filled
mainly with Turkish citizens on Saturday (November 22),
store owners saying these areas were usually brimming with
tourists.
"Before this (bombing) we had many customers, but now
as you see there is nobody in the bazaar so that is not
good for us," said leather goods store owner Sait Higbezmez
and his words were echoed by others in the bazaar.
Security had been heightened up around the bazaar with
police armed with metal detectors placed at the entrances.
Security officials said cars were not allowed to enter the
bazaar or stop near its entrances as part of the measures,
fearing that the bazaar may be another target.
The United States, Britain and Australia sent out
travel warnings to their citizens against travelling to
Turkey after the bombings on Thursday (November 20), and
travel agents suffered flight cancellations when news of
the attacks spread.
Many tourists already in Istanbul however have shown a
stiff upper lip and are determined to continue with their
holidays, shrugging off fears but functioning with a little
more caution.
"Bombings and things are happening all over the world
so if my number is up then it's up," said Sharon Bittle, an
American tourist from Florida, who currently resides in
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and witnessed the bombings that took
place there recently.
"We are being cautious, we are paying attention, trying
to stay away from the main locations," said John Doughty
from Chicago, Illinois, who had been in Turkey for the
first blasts on two synagogues in the city. He said after
the second set of attacks on Thursday he and his family
took serious consideration into leaving but decided to
carry on with their holiday.
Outside Agia Sofia mosque, a police car stood stationed
along with guides looking for work. A steady stream of
tourists came and went in tour buses.
"There were the bombings already last week but we had
already booked and we didn't think of cancelling, we
decided to go ahead with our plans," said Denis Scott from
Malta who, with his family, decided to continue their
holiday even after the second set of bombings.
Terrorism seems to have become a commonality in the
lexicon of tourists since
the 9/11 bombings in the United States, many echoing the
same sentiments, that it was taking place all over the
world and no place was safe.
Terrorism also seems to have become a common word for
travel agents, but not one they look forward to hearing.
Travel consultant Hayden Mann who works for a travel
agent in Istanbul's tourist quarter, which caters to many
Australian tourists, said the latest blasts in Turkey just
added doom to a bad year already because of the Iraq war.
Mann said the travel
agency suffered cancellations by up to 50 percent because
of Iraq, and although there had not been any cancellations
to Turkey he was inundated with phone calls by tourists
planning to come over full of concern.
He and others fear that although it is the end of the
season this could dissuade others from travelling in the
near future and the next high season could suffer a further
blow if the attacks continue.
Many said they were just carrying on with their plans
and the world Rugby match between Australia and Britain,
being shown in a local pub, helped to raise their spirits
and make them forget about the bombings.
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