Terror attacks in Turkey and France change travel map

Latest tensions across the European Union have triggered mass cancellations from tourists – some of the affected countries fear for the worst. As Europe is currently going through difficult times, tourists have changed their holiday preferences.

Both France and Turkey have experienced a dramatic drop in the number of visitors, as terrorism has “redrawn the map” for tourists. Terror attacks in Nice and Paris leaving France in a state of national emergency have resulted in a significant 20 per cent drop in visitor numbers for this country, which translates into £637million losses. Tourism decline took a toll on Istanbul also with a forecast that shows bookings from September to December falling by 52 per cent when compared to last year.

On the other hand, Spain, Germany and Portugal have gained new visitors, mostly from UK, with seat booking increasing by, 19, 13 and 12 per cent respectively. Olivier Jager, from Forward Keys, commented on the situation: "Travellers create a situation when they decide to visit alternative destinations. Operators and airlines decide to use their aircraft for other routes that allow them to fill their planes."

Moreover, David Scowsill, President and CEO of World Travel & Tourism Council, declared for CNN Money that this year’s tourism in Spain, Germany and Portugal could benefit an overall 20 to 30 per cent growth when compared to 2015.