News

THE trade faces a further slump in bookings for next summer after two terrorist bombs rocked the centre of Istanbul last Thursday.

The market is already thought to be 30% down for summer 2004, but the attacks in Turkey, which was tipped to become one of the top destinations for next summer, have come just before the crucial new year booking season.

The suicide car bombings  - which ripped through the British Consulate and HSBC bank headquarters - killed at least 26 people and injured around 400. British consul-general Roger Short was among the dead. The explosions follow suicide attacks on two synagogues in Istanbul that  killed 23 people a week earlier.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has now ruled out all but essential travel to Istanbul, although operators fear customers will be put off visiting beach resorts

hundreds of miles away.                           

Federation of Tour Operator director general Andy Cooper said: “It is going to be very damaging, irrespective of how long the warning lasts. Potentially, it could impact on the rest of the market. We asked the FCO to make it clear the advice specifically relates to Istanbul, so hopefully people will understand it won’t affect their holidays next summer.”

Thomas Cook director of mass-market product Simon Robinson said the operator has between 1,000 and 1,500 customers in Antalya, along the southern coast.

“It’s the last thing the country needs,” he said. “Turkey’s a fantastic destination and it’s been doing really well for us. It’s too early to take any decisions on capacity.”

Cresta senior product manager Ian Ackland said it had taken Istanbul off sale for the next week. It currently has one party in the city. Cresta was trying to secure a flight out for the group as Travel Weekly went to press even though they had booked their flight independently.

Turkish ambassador to the UK Akin Alptuna said he was confident summer business would not be affected, but admitted the country would need to promote the safety of its beach resorts. “We do not think these attacks will prevent people travelling. There are risks in every place,” he said.