2015-September-09

The largest migration in recent history has pushed Europe and the countries bordering Syria into crisis point. Governments are struggling to deal with the influx of refugees fleeing civil war, with few countries wanting to take responsibility. Turkey has admitted the largest number of refugees - almost two million - and while resources are stretched, grassroots and local government organisations are working hard to deal with the growing numbers of displaced people.

2015-August-27

This week in tourism news: a restoration of a 2000-year-old Istanbul castle has social media abuzz with comparisons to children’s cartoon character Spongebob Squarepants; a sea tunnel currently under construction in Istanbul should be completed ahead of schedule by the end of next year; an index report shows Turkey still has plenty of room for improvement in the tourist stakes; the introduction of tax-free zones mean tourists can visit designated resort areas without passports, boosting spending; and cruise ship traffic is on the rise, especially in Istanbul and Izmir.

2015-August-22

President Erdogan has called a snap election for November 1 after coalition talks finally broke down today. Erdogan has been accused of obstructing talks in order to move to the repeat election. The president is hoping to swing some of the left-voting populace back towards his ruling AKP party. But will the scheme work? Or will it backfire completely? We examine the possible outcomes and economic effects.

2015-August-18

Turkey’s partnership with the US in the war against ISIS could represent a turning point in the battle against the terrorist organisation. We look at the reasons why Turkey has been reticent in its anti-ISIS involvement until now, and what the implications of a US deal mean for the country. With all eyes turned towards ISIS it’s inevitable that potential visitors are concerned about possible danger within Turkey - but just how realistic are the dangers to the average tourist visiting Istanbul or the Mediterranean?

2015-August-19

This week in Turkey: coalition talks break down, which likely means a repeat election is on the cards for November. President Erdogan denies any involvement in the failed talks. A marriage proposal on a major Istanbul road caused traffic hold ups and angry commuters. Grey plastic balls might help save millions of gallons of water each year in Turkey, and a solar-powered bus hits the streets of Istanbul in a bid to provide cleaner transport options in Turkey’s biggest city.

2015-July-21

This week’s tourism news: Istanbul’s third airport is scheduled for completion in 2018; Diyarbakir Fortress earns UNESCO status; Antalya Airport serves a record-breaking number of passengers; Gulluk’s new marina should be operational by the end of the year; Antalya is the top business destination in Turkey; Eid and Germans boost the tourism sector; and the African heatwave that’s scorching Europe is set to hit Turkey this week, sending temperatures skywards.

2015-July-14

This week’s news: Erdogan warns parties discussing coalition deals to leave his presidential ambitions and plans for new constructions alone; a small boy’s tears spur a campaign to take him to meet his football hero in Istanbul; Antalya’s ice sculpture museum will be the first of its kind in the country; a dogged search for stolen manuscripts ends in success for PhD student; Turkey’s energy minister welcomes Iran nuclear deal.

2015-July-09

An expert has stated that Turkey’s potential to sell properties to foreign buyers is huge - but changes need to be made to the country’s policies before the number of properties sold reaches 60,000. The real estate consultancy head has pinpointed cities where he believes potential lies - Antalya, Izmir and Istanbul, dynamic centres with young populations and growing economies.

2015-July-05

Taxi service Uber is launching on the Bosporus, hoping to take advantage of the road congestion; a dramatic rescue in the Aegean Sea saw a 10-month-old baby plucked from the water after drifting out to sea in an inflatable device; Russians are going missing in Antalya, one still remains lost; a seagull caused a serious motorway pile up in Istanbul; a man who has been listed as “dead” since 2004 finally proves he’s in fact alive; and coalition talks are set to begin, with a deadline of 45 days given by President Erdogan.

2015-June-29

Bodrum Mayor declares that 25,000 Bodrum homes built before the 90s are in need of renovation, and that the resort town is too important a destination to neglect the poor quality homes; property purchases throughout Turkey have risen year-on-year from 2014, with Istanbul and Antalya charging out in front; and Antalya is currently number one for foreign home ownership, followed by the Mugla region and then Istanbul.

2015-June-22

In the latest tourism news from Turkey: The number of Arab visitors travelling to Istanbul is rising, while Western numbers dropped slightly; Turkish Airlines has been recognised as the fourth best global airline; Istanbul’s third airport one step closer thanks to Russian loan; Chinese tour operators ask Antalya deputy governor for a Buddhist temple; Turkey adds to its Blue Flag beach catalogue, with 39 new beaches added this year; report finds that 12 percent of Turkey’s GDP is generated by travel and tourism.

2015-June-17

All the latest economic news from Turkey: Turkey’s economy will be safe under a coalition, according to financial analysts; Economic performance in the first quarter of the year has exceeded all expectations, giving hope to increased performance for the second quarter; G20 countries work towards their goals of increasing global growth, and a G20 official emphasises the importance of Islamic finance; Akbank becomes Turkey’s most valuable brand, beating last year’s first place holder, Turk Telecom.

2015-June-15

The latest news from Turkey this week: Erdogan urges speedy formation of new government; Supermodel Kate Moss is escorted off an Easyjet aeroplane after drunken behaviour on a Bodrum to London flight; Turkey and US make a good team against ISIL, says US State Department spokesperson; there are more women MPs in Turkish parliament than last term; and a Gezi Park tear gas-toting policeman has been ordered to plant trees by an Istanbul court.

2015-June-08

The people have spoken. The AKP supermajority is no more and the ruling party will be looking to form a coalition government over the next few days. Many former AKP voters, dissatisfied with AKP’s increasingly autocratic rule and concerned about Erdogan’s ambitions for an executive presidency, turned to other parties, including the pro-Kurdish HDP, who have made a historic entry to parliament after topping the 10 percent threshold. Propertyturkey.com director Cameron Deggin says the results are positive for Turks - and for the country’s future economy.

2015-June-02

News this week: Erdogan challenges a rival to find the golden toilet that’s rumoured to be in his 1000-room palace; the election on Sunday will be the hardest to predict yet, says deputy PM; Erdogan likens his rule to the conquest of Istanbul, 562 years ago, as Turks gather in Istanbul to celebrate the conquest; a manmade peninsula in upmarket Atakoy aims to address the lack of space for new construction in the Istanbul hotspot; and Turkish-made cars, jets and passenger airliners will all be a reality this decade.

2015-May-25

We bring you a summary of the latest investment news from Turkey. The European Investment Bank is to invest a record 2.5 billion Euros in Turkey, concentrating on infrastructure, healthcare and SMEs; Bosch announce further investment in their Turkish divisions. The Turkish arm of Bosch is the fifth largest in the world. Siemens CEO announces Turkey’s future as “bright”; and a Saudi fund is to invest US$750 million in Turkish property.

2015-May-21

We bring you the latest news from Turkey. This week: Turkey plans to increase its Council of Europe contribution; the EU and Turkey agree to expand the customs union; Turkey vows to grow its alliance with NATO following the meeting in Antalya; a new trend of hair transplants in Turkey is caused by metrosexuality, according to a physician; healthcare in Turkey is big business; and a selfie-snapping statue is vandalised in the Northern Turkish city of Amasya.

2015-May-21

Turkey's general election at the beginning of June is shaping up to be a game changer for the country. With dissatisfaction with the ruling party AKP at an all time high, and the economy facing problems, voters are looking for alternatives. Like with the UK election and the Scottish National Party, an outsider is creating a stir. Pro-Kurdish party HDP is the outsider that is appealing to ethnic minorities and left-wing voters. Let's examine the main players - and the possible outcomes of the election.

2015-May-12

↵All the latest tourism news coming out of Turkey regarding everything to do with the tourism industry, including Turkey’s role as “powerhouse” in tourism praised ahead of G20 meeting in Antalya, as well as great news coming out from Turkish Airlines for those seeking more options for flights, and finally a look at some fascinating areas to visit for tourists this summer with all the statistics and information to help you decide where you will be heading in Turkey with the family this summer. Our round up of Turkish news for May 2015. ​

2015-May-05

A museum in Turkey’s south, famous for its huge collection of Roman mosaics, has become famous for another reason: the terrible restoration of some of its ancient works. Stones of different colours and shapes have replaced the original stones in some of the works, rendering the facial expressions on the artwork unrecognisable. The craftsman who took before and after pictures of the works said they have become “a caricature”. Work at the museum has been suspended.

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