Advertise On EU-Digest

Annual Advertising Rates

6/8/13

Turkey protests continue as tourism woes grow

Thousands of angry Turks have taken to the streets to join mass anti-government protests which have stretched to over one week, defying Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's call to end the worst civil unrest of his decade-long rule.

Protesters began arriving in Istanbul's Taksim Square From early Saturday morning with food and blankets to settle in for a weekend of demonstrations, adding to the growing tent city in nearby Gezi Park.

The lingering rallies, heaviest in Turkey's main tourist hubs such as Istanbul's main Taksim Square, are starting to negatively impact business for many.

Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra, reporting from Istanbul, said that "the whole area houses hotels, restaurants and shopping malls, and there are concerns that tourism might decline if the unrest continues.
"Hotels in Istanbul are starting to feel the brunt of the crisis."

Fresh demonstrations were also planned in the capital Ankara - where Erdogan is expected to be on Sunday - as the crisis entered its ninth day.

Read more: Turkey protests continue as tourism woes grow - Europe - Al Jazeera English

No comments: