Tourism: Turkey might be holiday spot for foreigners, not for locals

Istanbul

A new study released by TÜİK finds that despite being the land of tourism, some 86 percent of Turkish citizens cannot afford a one-week holiday, have problems insulating their homes, are in financial debt and do not have disposable income to spend on ‘unexpected expenses,’ let alone upgrade their shoddy furniture.

Most Turkish citizens are unable to afford a one-week vacation away from home and are unsatisfied with their living conditions in terms of basic necessities, according to a report that was released
yesterday by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK).

As in 2010 and 2011, the “Lifestyle and Income Revenues 2011” report also found that 18.5 percent of Turkish citizens are at risk of continuous poverty this year, up from 17.3 percent in 2009.

Read more: TOURISM - Turkey holiday spot for foreigners, not for locals